This article argues that online communities have become third places for people, particularly programmers and others who spend a huge percentage of time online. It’s an interesting article, but i still believe that most people use digital interactions to aid in RL ones.
The question then is how do we structure online communities to empower the individual participants best, so that no “powers that be” may move in and take over the third (virtual) space?
Self regulation may help, it wqould give one less reason for “them” to move in…