virtual community, n.All

A Virtual community (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be very real — most of one's close friends never met face to face — yet children living in imaginary worlds with invented personalities may suffer effects we do not understand.

A Virtual community (n.) built ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠by advertisers is a cluster of consumers sorted by demographics and taste — organized to buy and sell, not to share a social life or deliberate as citizens.