Since mid-August, more than 79,000 people have joined http://www.meetup.com to support one of the nine Democratic presidential candidates, according to the Washington Post. More than 195,000 people (about 25 percent of the total membership base) have joined to find others who care about Democratic candidates.
An analysis of site statistics shows that Dems aren’t the only politicos flocking to the site, however. Join Arnold ranked number 18 at the time this was typed.
The site was created in early 2002 to give anyone with a hobby a chance talk about it and a way to find others with similar interests. It extends community facilitation pioneered by eGroups (now part of Yahoo!Groups) from online discussion to face-to-face meetings. The site features groups on more than 2,200 topics; about 750,000 people have registered.
More news: Fort Worth Star Telegram; The Globe and Mail (Canada); Capitol Hill Blue; TwinCities.com
