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Social Networking

Kennesaw State University

1000 Chastain Rd

Kennesaw, Ga 30144

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E-mail: elamborn@kennesaw.students.edu

Intorduction

The newest fad in internet communication is the social networking web site. A social network is defined as, “A social structure made of nodes (which are generally individuals of organizations) that are tied by on or more specific types of relations, such as financial exchange, friendship, hate, trade, web links, or airline routes.”(http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopediaterm/0,2542,t=social+network&i=55313,00.as) Where social networks are more of a popular topic of study social networking web sites are more of a form of communication. A social networking web site is, “A web site that provides a virtual community for people interested in a particular subject or just to “Hang Out” together.”(http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia term/0,2542,t=social+networking+site&i=55316,00.asp) Social networking web sites make it easy for friends and family members to communicate with one another. These web sites also make it easier for people who have the same occupation to communicate with one another as well. As to whom these sites are intended for, social networking web sites can be used by anyone with internet access. Each specific network site has certain criteria that its users typically fall into. It is up to the user to see if he/she is comfortable with the site they plan on joining.

Conclusion

We have presented a detailed look into just three of the countless Social Networking sites that are available today—MySpace, Classmates, and Facebook. These sites present a virtual community for people to correspond with each other and to share their thoughts about pretty much anything. Old relationships become richer and new friendships are created. Many of these sites are quite successful, with MySpace leading the way with over 100 million members.
As Eric discussed, there are also sites that target people interested in business ventures, such as LinkedIn, Spoke, and Ryze. Sites such as these that aim at more specific interests are becoming more and more popular. There are already many dating and matchmaking sites such as Eharmony and Match, and sites that are even MORE targeted at special interests and hobbies are steadily making their way into this virtual community. One example is NurseLinkUp, an online community that covers anything from nursing careers, to job-related stress, to mentoring. Other site topics could range from parenting to weight loss, and one site, Craigslist, puts the spotlight on location.
As Julianna discussed today, there are some problems surrounding these sites. There are minor concerns such as language barriers between individuals and people creating fake profiles but many other significant issues have arisen. These include child pornography, sexual predators, and hate and race-related forums.
Still, there may be much to see in the future of these virtual communication systems. Mobile networking is one application that has been discussed—This would allow users to stay connected to online communities right from their cell phones. MySpace and Helio have already come together to provide people with this anytime, anywhere access to their MySpace networks. As mentioned before, social networking may become more and more interest-specific and much more sophisticated. Virtual communication may become even more in depth and will continue to enhance relationships and self-expression