Social Networks
Why do People Network Over a Network?
People’s lives nowadays are focused on one thing, catching up to everyone else. Everything is fast paced when it comes to career, opportunities and relationships. People barely have the time to stop and look around them to assess what they have and whats going on in the world. Because of this hyped up and fast paced way of life people are barely connected with the people that matter the most.
Some friends and family never really know what is going on with each other. There is a solution to all of this and its what they call social networking, the question is why do people network in a network?
There are a lot of reasons why and heres a short list of the reasons why:
1. Know new people. Just about every social networking websites says meet new people and the fact of the matter is that its what its actually all about. Meeting new people over social networking websites is the primary objective of having social networks. Its like speed dating, people meet people assess if they like them or not and add them in their network of friends. Its a great way of finding out how small the world is.
2. Finding lost friends. If theres a cheap way of finding a long lost friend its through social networking websites, its because people hate being left behind in all the techie stuff that they make their own network. One of the features that a lot of social networking websites have is the how are you connected feature. It shows you the link that goes back to the person who introduced you to that person that you have on your network. Another feature is the friends you have in common feature, this allows you to see who are the people you have in common in your network. And chances are if you have someone in common its easy to look for somebody else.
3. Chat away. If you got nothing better to do with your life, chat the day away. Forums or discussion boards on social networks are available for those people who have a lot to say but have nobody to talk to. I know its sad rightbecause of the power of freedom of speech everybody has the right audience to listen into what you got to say.
4. Be part of an interest group. One of the good things about social networking websites is that therere always people who share what you like to do. Crazy as your hobby may sound theres bound to be a few people doing what you do. Not so special anymore right? And all along you think that youre weird because you like collecting stamps so you can lick them, but on second thought wouldnt it be better to belong.
5. Blog. Blogging or weblogs are the current replacement of a journal. Its a little space in cyberspace where you get to rant as much as you like, write poetry, curse at people, curse at the government, curse at the Idol judges, shares your thoughts on almost anything and everything under the sun.
6. Post your face in cyberspace. Wouldnt it be great if there was a place where you can put all of those memories for people to envy? Indeed, social networking is a great way of showing off to your friends what youve accomplished and what other things you like to have.
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Why Are Social Networking Sites So Popular
There are hundreds of social networking sites in cyberspace and you can become a member in any of them. Is it a fad? A lot of people say this is not so because it is the best way right now to connect people with the same or similar interests regardless of your age and gender.
Connecting people is achieved by putting yourself out there. This means creating an account and telling a little bit about yourself which is like introducing yourself in front of the class. With other features like blogging tools, uploading photos, videos and music, joining forums and writing comments, you get to personalize it and tell people more about who you are which is something that a lot of people appreciate.
But perhaps another reason why social networking sites are so popular and have thousands of members is the fact that it is free. You can post just about anything online as long as it is not pornographic although some social networking sites allow that.
It is also very popular among entrepreneurs because they are able to use it to promote their business. Although there are other means to do that, why pay for it when you can advertise for free while you are a member.
To stress that point, one study shows that 41% of the members of a certain social networking site are IT professionals. These individuals use it to gain business contacts and gain knowledge about technology.
It is very similar to how retailers want to expand markets. They no longer have to go door to door to make a sale but other means to get similar results. A good example is someone who joins a networking site, joins a discussion, sees an opportunity and then takes it. If that member was able to provide quality service, other people will be interested in availing the same products or services as well.
Recruiters have also found better uses for the social networks because it enables them to find the right people whenever there is a job opening. Instead of waiting for an applicant to send their resume after posting an ad in the print publication, they can get referrals of people who are qualified to take on the job without spending any money.
There are some who say that the popularity of social networks will eventually kill web searching. But experts in the industry say that this is not possible because Google which happens to be one of the biggest search engines around and has market capitalization bigger than that General Motors or Ford will not allow that to happen.
While there may be new features in these social networks in the future, people will still have to use search engines when they need information.
Social networking sites are here to stay because aside from maintaining contacts with existing friends and making new ones, there are other things that members can do with it. It just takes someone to think out of the box to find some better use for it which will be welcomed by the public.
It also shows that the creativeness of one person gives forth to new ideas. Without this technology, we wont have the ability to improve and come up with better solutions.
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What Parents Need to Know About Social Networking?
In just a short span of time the internet has been the staple for all the needs that people have in their daily lives. In recent years the library has been losing to Google and Yahoo search as the primary source of all kinds of questions that people have about school, how to cook, how to make bombs and what sex is. Sad to say that with influx of technology the old ways of learning has dwindled in terms of accessibility and necessity.
One of the other major changes in the recent years is how kids of this generation socialize and make friends. Before the internet people would have to spend time knowing the person, hanging out with them and accepting people as friends, nowadays social networking websites like MySpace and Facebook have literally made the world smaller for kids.
It was just a dream of country leaders before to have a global village that would gather together people from all walks of life without boundaries and without limitations. That dream became a reality because of the internet. Nowadays a person in China can easily make friends with a person from Oklahoma just by clicking add to friends. That easy and both of them has access to the kinds of hobbies that you have, the books that you read, movies that made them cry, relationships that theyve had and stores they shop in, its a bit scary in a way but why are people so into the social networking craze?
The generations of kids that we have are officially born in the Information Age where almost everything is just a URL away; making friends, discussions, relationships and other kinds of socialization are readily available. But when you think about the kind of information that is available to them its frightening to think of what kind of effect tolls these kids.
The need to protect
Parents should be vigilant enough to know how to protect our children from the monsters that hide under their cyberspace beds. There are real threats and dangers that lurk in the pages of the social networking websites and it poses real harm to children if parents are not wise enough to know what they are.
What are these dangers? When we talk about social networking websites, were looking at a jungle of people trying to take advantage of children in different kinds of ways. Here are the most common of them.
- Sex offenders. The most common of the predators lurking in social networking websites, these people prey on kids that fall under the pretense that these people just want to be friends. These people fool children in to meeting them in a certain place and when they meet they say that they were sent by the friend to pick them up. Cases like these are common not only in the US but in other countries as well.
- Information hustlers. These are people who take advantage of the fact that your kids can give them information like credit card, social security, addresses and other information that they can sell of to other people.
- Sharks and thieves. These kinds of criminalsthrough social networkingtake advantage of the fact that they can easily get an idea of how your houses layout just by asking for photos from your children that were taken inside the house.
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What is Social Networking
Friends make up our social network. This gets bigger when you get acquainted with others and this in essence is social networking.
But social networking does not end there. It also goes to specific groups like people who share a common interest or hobby. In fact, the most popular one around these days are those found online because you get to meet individuals from other places.
For this to work, someone has to organize the group and in order for it to grow, other people are invited to join. With the web at your disposal, this means creating a website.
These websites are better known as social sites and are very similar to online communities. To become a member, you have to share a common interest be it a hobby, politics or religion. Once your request for membership has been approved, you will be able to socialize by reading the profile of other members and getting in touch with them.
The advantage of joining a specialized social network is that you are sure that all the members share the same interests. Before hundreds of these appeared, people had to contend with traditional social networking where those who join may not have to share the same interests to become a member.
But once you are in, you can develop your own social network by finding individuals who share your interests which will take some time and effort.
An interesting feature about social networking is that members who join a site can create their own webpage. This will make people who see your profile want to get to know you which expands your social network.
Despite the advantages and benefits of social networking, there are dangers that you have to deal with. It could be something minor like someone who is impersonating a famous celebrity or worse, an online predator who uses this medium to get his or her next victim.
While websites which operate these social networks on their end try their best to prevent this from happening by screening the members and installing additional safeguards, you are advised to proceed with caution.
If you feel something is not right, report this to the administrator. If you are meeting the member in person, make sure the venue is in a public place.
People who have a lot of hobbies can join more than one social network. To begin, all you have to do is perform a standard internet search of sites which cater to your interests, check each one out and then select which one you want to join.
But social networking isnt just about meeting new friends. Entrepreneurs and small businesses use it to establish a regular clientele and help expand their business. Healthcare professionals use it to share information about diseases so they are updated about the latest developments. Charities and non-profit organizations also use it to request for much needed aid which will be a big help to their causes.
Social networking has changed a lot through the years especially when people back then had to contend with chat rooms, instant messaging services and emails. If you are not happy with the service provided, you can cancel your membership until you are able to find the right one or use the flaws to your advantage by creating your own.
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What Do Social Networking Sites Have in Common
The number of social networking sites has increased rapidly and the vast majority is simply an off shoot of MySpace or Facebook. As a result, people dont use it just to stay in touch with friends but to make new ones as long as they have the same interests, political views and activities.
As you can see, social networking sites cater to a diverse audience. This is why some specialize in business, religion, sex and a few other things. Each one allows you to post blogs, photos and videos. At the same time, your friends can post comments.
This begins by becoming a member. Each person has to fill up the form and answer a few questions. This normally includes what will be your username, age, gender, location, interests and an about me section. You are not required but encouraged to upload a photo so people will be able to put a face to the name.
When it is finished, you get to choose the visibility of your profile. Can anyone see it or will this be limited only to your friends. The social networking site will ensure that your decision in this matter is respected.
Eventually your list of contacts will grow and this in essence is what social networking is all about. Some of those individuals are people you really know while the rest are acquaintances which could develop into something more in the future. You can leave messages when your contact is offline similar to webmail which many of us are already used to.
But not social networking sites started this way. This just evolved later on and one good example is Classmates which was initially designed to help you find old colleagues from secondary school and college.
In order to compete with other social networking sites, developers have to come up with better features which the others dont offer. Some examples of these include built-blogging, mobile interactions, RSS feeds, URL blocklist, application sharing, multiple language support, smarty templates, article rating, multiple authors and a lot more.
You just have to try each one to see if you are happy with their service. If you are not, then you can always close your account and open a new one somewhere else.
Despite all the fanfare, one thing that social networking sites are greatly concerned about is privacy primarily concerning the usage of the younger users. This is because they may be nave enough to meet people on the net and sadly they become victims of a heinous crime. While most developers have taken steps to try and prevent this, the parents of those who use it need to do their share as well by monitoring how their kids use it and activating the security settings.
Social networking sites regardless of how big or small they are now have a lot in common. What distinguishes them is their target audience and what other features they may offer that will make you decide to sign up with them.
You can also read reviews or ask your friends about what social networking sites are they members of since you want to be in the same group. If you cant decide, you can open several accounts and just take time to update and use them.
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What You Need to Know About The Digital age and
What You Need to Know About The Digital age and Social Networking Services
It seems that social networking sites are now a staple of the Internet age. In fact, a lot of people consider logging into a social networking site just as essential as checking their e-mail. After all, your friends and acquaintances could just as easily send you a message through the networking site instead of through regular e-mail. And with the digital age and social networking services, you can access many more Internet features such as news updates, web logging, online streaming video, chats and realtime webcams.
How does social networking affect todays social interactions?
Social networking sites have redefined social interactions. Some people claim that the digital age has made people introverted. People resort to communication through the use of these networking sites instead of through real life conversations. You might have heard of cases wherein family members living in the same home end up communicating with each other through online messages instead of normal conversations.
But social networking sites have also made it possible for people on different sides of the world to communicate with each other. And individuals who have lost communication with other such as old classmates or distant relatives could use social networking sites to get back in touch.
In fact, the need to get back in touch just might have been what necessitated the invention of social networking web sites. Classmates.com, one of the earliest social networking sites, had just that goal in mind. Social networking sites allow people to rekindle their friendships. Once you have found an old friend through the networking site, you can choose to exchange phone numbers for a more personal means of communication. If its possible, you could also choose to set up a get together with an old friend.
It is also possible to find old friends just by using search engines. You could type in the name of your friend on a search engine and hope that it finds a match and a personal homepage. However, using social networking sites can be much more effective and efficient. Your accounts page on these networking sites is just like your own personal home on the web. This also makes it a lot easier for your old friends to find you.
Are there dangers involved when it comes to using these online networking sites?
However, when it comes to online social networking, people have also been wondering about issues of security and privacy. With your homepage, pictures and other information about you already online, wouldnt it be possible for just about any stalker to find you?
Online networking, just like other forms of media, always has dangers associated with it. In fact, there have been instances wherein online sexual predators have used the information on these sites to get in touch with their victims. That is why you always have to be aware of the risks involved and how to keep yourself safe. You will find that these sites have plenty of safeguards already. And just how accessible the information about you is to the rest of the world is also up to you.
Remember that learning how to make full use of the digital age and social networking services while avoiding the dangers is something that you should do. The benefits of using these sites to their full potential can be quite enormous after all.
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Utilizing Online Social Networking in Education
There is still an ongoing debate on the direct benefits of making the use of social networking in education. Unfortunately for these online social networking sites, or SNS, their early reputation has long preceded their potentials. Facebook, Friendster and MySpace are just some examples of such sites which have created a stigma around themselves that technology per se does not deserve.
But with the lines blurring, it is interesting to know that a change is taking place, and it relates to what could be the productive role of online social networking in the lives of students.
Issue of safety and influence
Majority of the contents of online SNS are user generated. They are open to anyone who wishes to become a member. Because some users often post detailed and specific personal details (including addresses and phone numbers), compromising and unsuitable pictures, statements or other information, SNS are considered as a playground for online predators.
Students are getting in trouble with their school administrators for posting self incriminating and unacceptable pictures or information, which violate imposed school policies or code of conduct. School administrators, however, do not monitor the activities of their students in online social networking activities; but if their students online accounts that violate school policies are reported to them or are brought to their attention, then they may investigate the matter further.
Collaboration rather than conflict
The challenge in utilizing the potentials of SNS in the lives of students lies in how to integrate such sites with academic practice. Initially, as expected, academic institutions had refused to accept the influence of social networking activities in the lives of their students. However, it is without a doubt that despite of the downsides, the internet is a powerful educational tool a virtual school grounds where students can meet and chat, and bring learning to them without having to leave their homes.
Recently, the same school institutions had to see these SNS with a fresh eye. This technological socialization among students may just be a potentially effective partner in the education system. There should be an alliance, rather than a collision, between the online activities of students and academic goals. The challenge here is how to harness the promise of SNS and how to integrate it effectively with the traditional academic methods.
Of course it is not generally possible to directly incorporate SNS directly into the classrooms; such are tools primarily for socializing. But these tools have grown to a level so potentially useful among students that educators should not ignore its value. With optimism, this goal may be realized through the following:
* Paying attention and looking into social networking sites – School administrators must not express disproval of networking activities utterly without really understanding how it works. Exploring these sites will reveal what makes it popular among their students.
* Employing the educational worth of social networking activities – Educators may deliberately consider ways of extending classroom activities onto the internet. Online communities work by providing ways through which users interact. Deliberately thinking of projects and assignments to be executed by the students through SNS may make the most out of it.
Effectively diverting the influence of SNS to a more positive side will strengthen role of online technology to the students. The role of social networking in education may just be an integral part of the learning process of the students, and not merely a distraction.
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The fall of some social networking sites
In recent years online dating websites have evolved into a more friendly kind of website. Instead of looking for dates over the net people call it social networking, social networking websites work by adding to your friends list people who fit your criteria of being interesting. Some websites have people search engines that allow you to look for possible candidates by just choosing the kind of profile you want your new friend to have. These criteria can be narrowed down to age, sex, nationality, interests, major, sometimes even sexual preference. After youve found a handful of candidates you send them invites for them to approve your request to be their friends.
Its been quite a hit for the children of the Information age, people can now expand their friends network without having to leave the comfort of their homes. On the other hand, with the success of social networking websites, some of the reasons for the failure of other social networking websites have been undermined and overlooked. Even though it a great hit to people, the reasons for others failure if not taken seriously could lead to the downfall of other top websites. Heres a short list of the major reasons why some social networking websites fail.
1. Privacy. One of the most common downfalls of social networking sites is the lack of privacy of the members. Since all of the information of the member can be viewed by another user the security issue not only of its members but the website itself is regularly in jeopardy. Hackers will always be a threat to people on the internet and especially to people who proactively volunteer information that can be considered as confidential. This information when in the wrong hands can lead to serious backlashes. One example is identity theft; if someone was to intercept a meeting or important information that person could pose as the user.
2. Rewards and penalties. One of the most important things to consider when you are applying for membership to a certain group is the WIIFM or Whats in it for me? In certain cases when we look into the different groups that we could be part of we always take time to consider how it could benefit us. Benefit and reward are important to people because it gives then a sense of appreciation.
Appreciating that they took time to enroll themselves in a service or a product, when people are given due credit for what they do they feel they belong. On the other hand penalties should be imposed to people who have broken special privileges that they have. These two give any organization balance and direction, this reminds people that they are rewarded for what they do and reprimanded for the abuse that they commit.
3. Hidden privileges. Its important to that we could have all the privileges and capacities of the network from day one.
4. It takes a while. The main reason that we join a social networking website is to stay connected with people we have little or no communication lines with, when a social networking site takes time to update the users profile or the site its frustrating because we want information real time.
5. Boxed worlds. Some people calls social networking sites as “walled gardens” and while others call it “isolated paradise.” Whatever you want to call it social networking websites lessens real interaction between people. Social networking sites were originally made to renew connections with people that we know and make new friends. It was not meant to be the only world that we spend our lives in.
People who have Facebook and MySpace accounts sometimes forget that the true essence of having a relationship.
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The Advantages of Social Networking
Its great to have friends but you have to admit that there are certain interests you or they have, which neither is not interested in. When this happens, it is time to expand our circle and that is just one of the advantages of social networking.
Social networking enables people who share the same interests to hang out together and this simply means that you are able to make new friends. If for example you are interested in basketball, no one there will get tired of talking about the players or the game which occurred last night or several years ago.
Since most social networking is done over the web, you get to meet individuals from other countries and learn about their culture. How many people do you know keep in touch with someone across the Atlantic or the Pacific? Given that you share something in common, you get to communicate with that person regularly that is very similar to hooking up with your friends after work or school.
From a business point of view, the first two advantages of social networking enable you to meet new clients and expand your business because most of these sites allow you to customize your webpage and provide links to your personal website.
Just to give you a few examples, there is Multiply, MySpace, Friendster, FaceBook and Classmates. With so many around, you wont have a hard time looking for a social network that you like. You can even post ads here so you can inform other members of an event that you are hosting.
The best part about becoming a member of a social network is that majority of these is free. This means that you dont have to pay any fees. All you have to do is sign up by filling up the form and then activating the link when this is sent to you via email. Now that you are a member, you can invite other friends to join and look at other profiles.
The advantages of social networking will allow you to make new friends, promote your business and best of all, wont cost you a thing. But there are some social networking sites that will require you to pay a fee. Before you sign up, consider if this value for your money.
Will social networking sites ever replace meeting people in social events and other gatherings? Of course not because all this medium does is give you more exposure. It allows you to put your best qualities out there especially when first impressions last.
When you join a social networking site, never post any private information about yourself unless you are ready to have people get in touch with you. You shouldnt also put anything embarrassing about yourself because some people have been denied employment because of the information posted.
If there are privacy settings in your social networking site, you are advised to use it so you can control who has access to your personal information.
A lot of experts say that social networking is here to stay so we have to take advantage of it. When you do join a social networking site, keep an open and see if this is exactly what you wanted. If not, cancel your account until you find the one that you like.
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The Many Benefits That Todays Social Networking Sites Can Provide
The Many Benefits That Todays Social Networking Sites Can Provide
If youve previously resisted invitations to join social networking sites because you regarded them as mere trends, then you should consider the other benefits to be had from these sites.
One of the most obvious benefits that these sites offer is the ability to keep in touch with friends and family anywhere in the world. With the bulletin board updates, you could read about how your friends and relatives are doing. You can be quickly informed if theyre getting married or if theyve gotten sick and need a friendly call to wish them well. You could also find long lost classmates and acquaintances and drop them a message to see how theyre doing.
Can you use a social network for your work or for business purposes?
You could also get business benefits through online networking. Are you an entrepreneur thinking about how to use the networking sites for your business? You can think of social networking as a type of free online advertisement. By creating a bulletin board notice, you could inform the people in your network of the existence of your product and its benefits. You could also include information regarding how to buy the product or how to contact you through the social network. And you may also ask the people in your network to post your advertisement as well. If youve written an interesting advertisement, it might end up reaching a lot more people just like a viral advertisement.
If youre an artist or a performer, you could use your social network to inform people about your upcoming events. You could post video on the homepage of your online network to entice people and give them an idea about you as an artist. You could easily use the online networking sites to gain many more fans online. This type of promotion is something that would have cost a lot of money before the advent of these online networking sites.
Even politicians have taken to using these social networks. By joining these social networks, they can make it easier for the people to know about their views and policies. This also makes it easier for them to get new supporters from the usually younger crowd. This also gives their supporters a way to contact them easily. You could send messages to politicians telling them about your opinions on different political issues.
You could also use these social networks to make people more aware about the issues you care about. If you care about certain issues, you could create an article or bulletin board message for the people in your network to read. That way, you could inform more people about these matters and get their support. You could also think of these networking sites as a news source. You could keep yourself informed about the matters that people are currently talking about.
Even companies and organizations have started creating online network accounts. That way, their members could link up with the organizations account and any organization news could easily be disseminated. This makes for an inexpensive way to keep every worker or organization member informed.
Knowing the many benefits that these social networking sites can provide, you will surely agree that you should create an account and build an online network of contacts as soon as possible.
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