Social Networking Websites BENATUIL, Eduardo KIM, Na Hyun WELMOND, Benjamin

Introduction Social Networking Sites – Web based Service focused on building online communities of people who share interests and activities, and who are seeking to share and explore these with other people – Sharing information as well as communicating through , instant messaging services and various other digital services. – Focuses on maintaining relationships.

History Sixdegrees – Launched in – Allowed users to create profiles, list and view contact lists. Classmates – Same principle as Sixdegrees – Fosters affiliations with user’s high school or college contacts. – Could not create profiles or list Friends until years later.

Examples of SNS Facebook Orkut Myspace Friendster Hi5 Cyworld -DeviantART -Windows Live Spaces -Flickr -Last.fm -Flixster -Yahoo360

Pros Helps keep in touch with family and friends Post blogs, share photos, use IM Add people as friends Create a profile with personal information Share interests Build groups/networks of friends with similar interests

Cons Identity thefts-Criminal Problems – Privacy issues – Personal information such as name, location, and address – Thieves can pretend to be “you” – Use of sites to stalk, kidnap and blackmail people. Possible social isolation – “Unreal” friends – Don’t really know the person, but the virtual representation Professional Issues – Recruiters and HR personnel tend to check SNSs. – Unprofessional pictures and comments Spam – Identity information such as phone numbers and addresses could be misused

Opinion Be Smart – Do not give out personal information to unknown people you meet on SNS Keep Contact – If you roam around the world a lot, good use of SNS can help you maintain your friendships with others by knowing how they are living their respective lives as well as showing yours. Responsibility – Online harassment is just as bad as a real one. Being anonymous is not guaranteed even while online.

Conclusion Social networking sites may help maintain relationships with people that are no longer near you – Ex. Communication with people back home. Be smart about your privacy when accessing these sites – Don’t post that which you don’t want your family or employers to see. Spending some time on social networking sites are okay, but do not forget to spend time with “real” people; don’t be isolated from real social groups. Don’t spend to much time on these websites, since they are a good source of procrastination.

Sources Boyd, D.M., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), article ison.html ison.html Images pulled off of Google Images.