Social Networking
The term “social network” seems to be popping up everywhere. You hear it and nod in acknowledgment, but do you really know the true definition of this online craze? It’s OK to admit if you don’t; it just means you’re old.
Wikipedia explains that a social network is a social structure made up of nodes that are tied together by one or more specific types of relations, such as values, ideas, interests, financial exchange, etc. Nodes are the individual users within the networks, which are generally individuals or organizations. The ties are the relationships between the users Now that you know what exactly a social network is, it’s time to explore the phenomenon, and decide if it’s the right decision for you.
Ever since Friendster jumped on the scene in 2003, it feels like online communities are going up faster than track homes in the desert. Although Friendster had a solid holding in the beginning, it was quickly beat down by more impressive social networks like MySpace and Facebook. The newer sites offered better quality in music and media, which appealed to teens and young adults. In fact, social networks in general seem to attract a younger crowd. This is both a blessing and a curse.
While social communities are sitting comfortably with their increasing popularity, their status on the Internet throne is precarious. As quickly as these younger users were influenced to join, they can decide that a network just isn’t “cool” anymore. Who knows, maybe face-to-face interaction, and phone calls will become more popular than “wall posts” and text messaging.
Right now, there are many social networks a potential user can choose from. There are over 200 social networking websites available today. However, only a few are popular with a significant portion of the population. The creators of new networks are recognizing the need for more niche communities. MySpace is very general, but definitely aimed at teens and the music scene. Facebook will always appeal to college students because, although it’s been opened up to anyone, it began as an Ivy League endeavor. LinkedIn is a great choice for those seeking more professional and career networking, and Xanga is a blogged based network. There is even a brand new online community called Damsels in Success that is strictly focused on professional women.
The choices are becoming endless, which is good and bad. It’s is definitely an advantage to have options, and also great if you have many different interests. However, by the time you join your eighth network, you might find it difficult to manage all of them effectively. Interestingly, Google’s new, yet unreleased project, Social Stream, is working towards a goal of giving users the ability to manage more than one social network on one site.
Honestly, it’s difficult to predict the future of social networking. Right now it seems like they are unavoidable and you should just jump on the bandwagon before it leaves your old behind in the dust.
