Community Building Websites

Here are a few non news websites that I think are good examples of interactive community building.

http://www.wallstreetsurvivor.com -- This is a game where you create a portfolio based on the stock market data from every day. This fantasy stock trading game boasts a large community of players who message, compare data and buddy up. "The mission is to make Wall Street Survivor the closest thing to trading a real brokerage account without risking your own money. And you have the opportunity to learn through your interactions with other fantasy stock traders, just like you."

http://www.y8.com -- This site has interactive flash based games. It has advertising to keep it going.

http://www.lissaexplains.com -- This is a website with help for novices who want to build their own websites. It's very helpful with basic information and fun stuff. There's a forum section for members to share information and ask questions. There's also a free e-mail account option. "We have over 33,000 users and growing. You'll get a free e-mail address, yourname@lissamail.com, and all the features of the larger e-mail services without the ads. Big kids are welcome too!"

http://www.surfthechannel.com -- This is a website where you can stream video -- from movies to TV shows. Some of the content is pirated but it's a very popular website. According to my nephew who introduced me to this site, some of the streamed movies are hosted on servers outside of the country to avoid legal issues.

These sites appeal to a diverse demographic.