Geographic vs Virtual Citizenship

Today what nationality you belong to in the real world matters. Are you America? Nihonjin? British Subject? Soon perhaps your country affilation no longer matter. It is which virtual community that you belong to that matters.

How will that happen? Can a virtual community have “citizenship”? What will be the power base?
AOL users vs CompuServe? Spacebar vs Nerve, Slashdot vs. CNN?