INFORMATION SHARING : Social Networking :)

Social Networking


A social networking service is an on line service, platform or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social elations among people who share interests and activities with similar interests, backgrounds and activities and then make their own communities.  Social networking sites allow users to share ideas, activities, events, and interests within their individual networks.

Popular social networking sites : Facebook 

Why Do People Use On line Social Networking?

Social Networking is Easy. Modern technology and web 2.0 standards have come a long way recently, making most social networks easier to use than email. This is why you see so many adults and elderly citizens on social networks these days. You used to at least have a basic background and solid understanding of computers to be able to build a profile page on a networking site. The latest browsers are equipped with JavaScript making it easy for most social networks to allow people to build profiles with almost drag and drop functionality.

You can find Anybody on Social Networks. New search features combined with the ease of use have made it so incredibly easy to find someone that you may not have talked to in years. So many people are reconnecting on the web, possibly for the first time since elementary school. This has always been something that was easy to do, but with modern social networks we are able to do it easier than ever.

Social Networks Make Life Easier. Whether you are looking for a restaurant, a theatre, a movie or looking to buy a product or service, social networks provide a common interface to search for and interact with fellow networkers and get feedback, opinion, and real human experience to help decide and act. Social networks provide the human element that is often missing from regular websites.  Even with shopping comparison sites and customer references, you don’t necessarily trust those folks who you have no experience with.  Social Networks and the interaction introduce the elements of trust and integrity that provide the peace of mind that many need when making everyday decisions.

Rapid Change & Development. We see MySpace, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, and now Twitter providing new and improved ways for all of us to interact, collaborate, ask and answer questions.  We will see more and more improvements and other changes within and outside of these social networking spheres of technology.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Social Networking

Possible advantages:

• Facilitates open communication, leading to enhanced information discovery and delivery.
• Allows employees to discuss ideas, post news, ask questions and share links.
• Provides an opportunity to widen business contacts.
• Targets a wide audience, making it a useful and effective recruitment tool.
• Improves business reputation and client base with minimal use of advertising.
• Expands market research, implements marketing campaigns, delivers communications and directs interested people to specific web sites.

Possible disadvantages:

• Opens up the possibility for hackers to commit fraud and launch spam and virus attacks.
• Increases the risk of people falling prey to online scams that seem genuine, resulting in data or identity theft.
• May result in negative comments from employees about the company or potential legal consequences if employees use these sites to view objectionable, illicit or offensive material.
• Potentially results in lost productivity, especially if employees are busy updating profiles

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