In the past, mailing lists were a popular means of online communication, functioning somewhat like forums but operating via email. Each member automatically received all messages sent to the list by other participants wishing to contribute to the discussions. Messages were sent individually or grouped into summaries. Most lists were managed by a moderator responsible for sorting messages and often the one who created the list. Mailing lists were widely used in the early years of the internet but declined in popularity with the rise of blogs and forums, which also offer spaces for discussion.