Interestingly, the 2006 Time Magazine's persons of the year were Internet users who write online articles, post blogs or videos, upload photos, and contribute to many different Internet groups. They are the so-called "netizens". Just who are these netizens? Well, if you are reading, then you are one of them.

Who are netizens?

The term "netizen", coined by Michael Hauben, is a fusion of the words "Internet" and "citizen". Netizens are those who actively participate in the Internet community. They go online to take part in such activities as promoting the Internet as a social and an intellectual resource, providing information, giving and receiving views, and making choices for self-assembled communities. In general, netizens can be any users of the Internet's worldwide and unstructured forums. They use the Internet from their home, school, or workplace.

What do they do?

One of the major roles of netizens is to contribute to certain user groups around their field of interest. Groups might be based on hobbies, centered on fan interest, or have a political focus. Groups are largely driven by the participation of netizens. Just imagine a lifeless blog where no discussion takes place.

Many netizens also organize groups to accomplish something really big. For example, in the 1990s, an online community (Children's Health Information Network) petitioned to declare February 14 as Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) Awareness Day in each state. As a result, most states have now February 14 as CHD Awareness Day.

But netizens don't always have to accomplish something that big or important. Many netizens do something totally frivolous. For example, comic TV newscaster Stephen Colbert has been using his netizen followers to have his name displayed on many new buildings. Through his website, Colbert makes campaigns that accomplish very absurd aims.

How do they use the Internet?

Netizens replace traditional paper correspondence letters with emails. They also establish group or one-on-one conversations through online chat. Netizens engage in real time conversations without having the need to go to a website (instant messaging).

They actively participate in internet forums to express their opinions on certain topics. They maintain a blog, where they share information about their experiences and views or sell something. To make their blogs interesting, they upload photos and videos and customize their pages. They use the feedback comment system to post responses to blogs or news.

Furthermore, many netizens play online interactive games. They also use the file sharing technology, allowing them to share files from their computers with other netizens, and vice versa. This allows for a faster distribution (but not always legal) of music, videos, software, etc. Netizens also uses wikis for managing databases and developing and maintaining encyclopedia.

What are their responsibilities?

Like in other societies and groups, netizens have certain responsibilities. They are trying to be helpful to the use and growth of the Internet. Usually, Netizens impose in themselves responsibility to ensure that the Internet improves in its development while at the same time encouraging open access and free speech. Thus the major role of netizens