  We propose a new user-centric imagery of the WWW that foregrounds local usage
and its shaping forces, in contrast to existing imageries that prioritize
Internet infrastructure. We construct ethnological maps of WWW usage through a
network analysis of shared global traffic between 1000 most popular websites at
three time points and develop granular measures for exploring global
participation in online communication. Our results reveal the significant
growth and thickening of online regional cultures associated with the global
South. We draw attention to how local cultural identity, affirmative state
intervention and economic contexts shape regional cultures on the global WWW.
