Social Networking Essay Example for Free

Social Networking Essay A social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on facilitating the building of social networks or social relations among people who, for example, share interests, activities, backgrounds, or real-life connections. There are dating sites, friendship sites, sites with a business purpose and hybrids that offer a combination of these When it comes to online social networking, websites are commonly used. These websites are known as social sites. Social networking websites function like an online community of internet users. Depending on the website in question, many of these online community members share common interests in hobbies, religion, politics and alternative lifestyles. Once you are granted access to a social networking website you can begin to socialize. This socialization may include reading the profile pages of other members and possibly even contacting them. A social network service consists of a representation of each user (often a profile), his/her social links, and a variety of additional services. Most social network services are web-based and provide means for users to interact over the Internet, such as e-mail and instant messaging. Online community services are sometimes considered as a social network service, though in a broader sense, social network service usually means an individual-centered service whereas online community services are group-centered. Social networking sites allow users to share ideas, activities, events, and interests within their individual networks. Social networking establishes interconnected Internet communities sometimes known as personal networks that help people make contacts that would be good for them to know, but that they would be unlikely to have met otherwise. In general, heres how it works: you join one of the sites and invite people you know to join as well. Those people invite their contacts to join, who in turn invite their contacts to join, and the process repeats for each person. In theory, any individual can make contact through anyone they have a connection to, to any of the people that person has a connection to, and so on. The main types of social networking services include: a) Facebook is the world’s largest social network, with more than 900  million users. Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook in 2004 while he was attending Harvard University. b) Google+, a social network operated by Google, Inc., launched on June 28th, 2011 with integrations across a number of Google products, including Buzz and Profiles. c) Twitter is a free microblogging service founded in 2006 by Jack Dorsey and Biz Stone. At its heart are 140-character bursts of information called tweets. Users can include links to other content in their tweets, and broadcasts can be public or private. d) YouTube was founded in February 2005 and has become the go-to site for video on the web. One hour of video is uploaded to YouTube every second. e) WhatsApp Messenger is a cross-platform instant messaging application available only to the smartphones: iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and Symbian. In addition to normal texting, WhatsApp Messenger users can send each other images, video and audio media messages, as well as engage in group conversations between multiple users. Social networking has some benefits for example you are able to make friends. Another one of those benefits includes diversity because the internet gives individuals from all around the world access to social networking sites. This means that although you are in the United States, you could develop an online friendship with someone in Kenya. Not only will you make new friends, but you just might learn a thing or two about new cultures or new languages and learning is always a good thing. Social networking also has some disadvantages associated with it, for example employers can use information on social sites to learn about prospective employees. Reading profiles and perusing photos has become standard for human resources departments in some companies. Ones job search could be affected accordingly. Most of this sites are also addictive and this can affect your studies if you are student and affect your job if your are working. There are dangers associated with social networking including data theft and viruses, which are on the rise. The most prevalent danger though often involves online predators or individuals who claim to be someone that they  are not Social site trend is growing very first and currently we have cellphone application. The cellphone potential for socializing is growing all the time, and mobile features allow users to continue their experience when away from home, school or office. The GPS feature built into many smartphones adds the twist of knowing where friends are at any given moment. Social networking will remain relevant to those who are willing to continue learning as new techniques come out and also new services are developed. This is because looking at the current trend in technology there is a high speed growth in this field.