When was "Netizen" first used?

[geezerz]

Does anyone have any dates on when the term "Netizen" was first used? A rough date would be great. As I have come to understand, the term's origin is that of Chinese internet culture. If you have any further info on that understanding (or if you wish to correct it) please feel free to do so as well !

[Namery]

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/netizen 1984

[Jay]

In July 6, 1993, Michael Hauben in the US posted on the Net a four part essay introducing the scientific concept of the netizen. His preface begins:

"Welcome to the 21st Century. You are a Netizen (a Net Citizen), and you exist as a citizen of the world thanks to the global connectivity that the Net makes possible. You consider everyone as
your compatriot. You physically live in one country but you are in contact with much of the world via the global computer network. Virtually you live next door to every other single Netizen in the world. Geographical separation is replaced by existence in the same virtual space"
http://www.ais.org/~hauben/Michael_Haube...net_Posts/

He and Ronda Hauben went on to help spread the scientific concept of netizens in a book they put online in Jan 12 1994. http://www.columbia.edu/~hauben/netbook/

As the internet spread more and more netizens emerged in every country especially in South Korea, then China and now everywhere.

I know of no scientific analysis of netizen before this work. But also it was only after this work that the concept became more and more known and adopted.

The origin of the term netizen is explained in "What is a Netizen?"

http://www.columbia.edu/~rh120/ch106.xpr