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A Netizen (from net and citizen) is a citizen of the Internet. The creation of the word is credited to Michael Hauben (see Michael and Ronda Hauben's [http://www.columbia.edu/~hauben/project_book.html Netizens: On the History and Impact of Usenet and the Internet]. An alternative term is Cybercitizen.

The term Netizen implies someone who is actively involved in online communities and who is familiar with [[Netiquette]]. A Netizen can be any user of the worldwide forums of the Internet, which at first were mostly USENET newsgroups, and which now include all sorts of web forums, collaborative wikis and social software. 

Netizens use the Internet to participate in the discussions of online communities, giving and receiving viewpoints, furnishing information, and participating in decision-making by the self-assembled communities. A Netizen realizes that such discussions require self-imposed discipline in order to ensure free speech and open access to all potential participants. Online communities develop through voluntary cooperation and mutual respect among the members. Netizens also try to be conducive to the use and growth of the Internet in general.

Before participating in a forum, a Netizen may read the general charter and the frequently asked questions (FAQ), in order to be sure to participate within the community in a way that supports it. A good Netizen will avoid [[Flame War]]s, and may intervene to arbitrate between Flame Warriors, or to prevent one from bullying newcomers.

Netizens may use Internet from their home, workplace, or school. Netizen movements can play an active role in the politics of their country: the election of President Roh Moo-hyun of South Korea in 2002 was widely attributed to the support for him among South Korean Netizens, especially readers of OhmyNews. In countries with restricted civil liberties, such as China, the Netizen movements may provide an outlet for political expression which is denied elsewhere.

==Links==
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netizen
*http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-internet-slang.htm
*Michael Hauben's and Ronda Hauben's on-line Netbook, Netizens: On the History and Impact of Usenet and the Internet: http://www.columbia.edu/~hauben/project_book.html

[[Category:Cyberspace]]