Objectives: This research, using the interview methods, attempts to identify a new type of network users which is called as "online parasites. " Since online parasites have a higher level of information retention and activity than ordinary passive users, companies that operate online communities should consider the needs and meaning of "online parasites" when activating inactive users. Methods: This study conducted preliminary interviews with seven participants to observe how they use the internet, why they join the online community, and how they obtain information from the online community, regardless of whether they have the experience in posting messages in the online community.Results: This study explores the relationship between the active user, inactive user, lurker, and online parasite according to users' interaction behaviors and the perceived contributions to the community. In addition, online parasites are defined as users who access and use the online community and produce interactive behaviors (such as likes and favorites) with the content but have no substantial content creation and contribution. Conclusions: Compared to Lurker or passive receivers who read newspapers many years ago, most internet users now have a certain degree of enthusiasm like online parasites. Therefore, conceptualizing online parasites and studying their motivations and behaviors will greatly impact the sustainable development of the internet and virtual community.

With the development of digital technology, the internet environment has dramatically changed the way people share information, which has been changed by different types of sources, making it convenient to obtain information. The lurking phenomenon in the network is becoming increasingly common, and previous studies have been conducted on lurkers on the internet with shifting focus from active users to passive users. Under these circumstances, this tries to conceptualize a new type of passive users, titled as "online parasites" who focus on obtaining information by utilizing the internet or their host to achieve their other purposes. The aim is to deeply understand these users and clearly distinguish them from other types of users such as lurkers.