Although almost everyone has heard the term ’social networking’, some may still be uncertain about what it refers to. If someone asked you to define social networking right now, could you do it? Unfortunately, many people are unable to do this, even when they themselves are participants in online social networking.
Social networking is the gathering together of people with similar interests into online communities. Though social networking can be done in person, particularly in schools or in offices, it is really carried out mostly online. The reason for this is that while real-world communities like high schools, colleges, and workplaces let you network with a few people, online communities let you network with millions.
Social networking online takes place on dedicated websites. This type of website is called a social networking website. Social networking sites can best be likened to an offline community, just on the internet instead of a neighborhood or club, for instance. Many members of a particular social networking site may share a common bond, be it politics, hobbies, religion, or something else. You can gain admittance to a social networking site, and you can start making connections. These social activities might include passive activities such as reading others’ profiles, or even actively contacting them.
The friendships you’ll make are just one of the positive things about social networking online. Another benefit is the huge variety of people. In contrast to schools and workplaces, the Internet democratizes social networking, making it easily accessible to everyone. Without the problem of distance posed by real-world social networking, online social networking makes it easy for someone from the United States to make friends with someone in Japan, for instance. You can form new friendships and learn about other cultures.
As described earlier, social networking frequently comprises bringing together particular individuals or organizations. Many social networking sites cater to people with specific interests, while others are more general in nature. These sites are known as standard social networking sites. These kinds of sites normally have open membership. It shows that anybody may join, irrelevant of their pastimes, faith or ideas. That said, once you enter this online community, you can apply exclusion criteria to your searches, ensuring that you meet only those people who match your desires.
If networking online interests you, don’t just jump in feet first; you need to understand the dangers before taking the plunge. The primary dangers are imposters or people with malicious intent. Dangers exist when networking anywhere, either online or offline. Just like when you meet with people in the real world, you must be careful when you meet people over the Internet. Remember where you are and that the other person may or may not be who they say they are, and you should be able to enjoy social networking online and stay safe.
Once you have completed your research into social networking online, the next step is actually find a community to join. You can do this easily by searching the web. Your search will produce various outcomes, comprising MySpace, FriendWise, FriendFinder, Yahoo! 360, Facebook, Classmates, and Orkut.
