On a messageboard or anything similar, to browse the board very often, but without ever posting anything.

To read without commenting or contributing, therefore effectively invisible to the rest of the group or community. Generally recommended for joining any forum so that you can observe rules, attitudes and prominent personalities without jumping in and breaking a rule, making an ass of yourself, or asking a question about something obvious that you would have learned for yourself if you’d paid attention in the first place.

Online equivalent of attentive listening before speaking; potentially the solution to all Internet faux pas.

A person who, though standing with a group of "friends," fails to make conversation or say anything of interest. Commonly used as a derogatory term for someone quiet or untalkative.

A person who repetitively stalks/ convulsively checks someone's Tweets, Wall, Posts, or blog entries without posting or without the knowledge of the person. Someone who regularly checks someone's social interactions from the safety of their dimly lit room.

A vocabulary word that is part of the skateboarding community. It means driving around town looking for potential skateboarding spots. Once you have found something worthwhile, you park your car and get out and skate the spot. Once you're tired of the spot, you get back in the car and continue the lurking process. Best done with friends. It's also worthwhile to note that after months of lurking, lurking becomes decreasingly necessary as you begin to know all of the skatespots of your hometown by memory

watching someone as though you're stalking them, but at a less degree.

emma casey