There is nothing new here, territorialism and the internet have gone hand and hand since the invention of the newsgroup. Go to any newsgroup and you'll see the same shining faces in 4, 5, 6 sometimes 10 groups - most of them unrelated. This is a consequence of inadequate social life and genuine topical interest. Upset the applecart and you'll REALLY see who the regulars are and what they think about changing the decor of their hangout.

Heck, go to Dear Prudence and upset the applecart - you'll quickly discover who hangs out in Slate and what they think of your non-Liberal opinions. Even someone who expouses tolerance and compassion for others can be downright NASTY to those who try to crowd them out. Places like Wikipedia, Digg, Slate, Usenet, even Ask.com are places where the regulars reign supreme. Because of their helpfulness to newbies, people are inclined to forget their trespasses, ultimately reinforcing their belief that they "own" the site. Personally I think that sucks - but is it so much different than at some gated community where the homeowner's association is dominated by some busybody?

The internet just has a mild case of OCPD.