Social Networking Sites

Social Networking Site

A social networking site is an online platform that allows
users to create a public profile and interact with other
users on the website. Social networking sites usually
have a new user input a list of people with whom they
share a connection and then allow the people on the list
to confirm or deny the connection. After connections are
established, the new user can search the networks of
connections to make more connections.

A social networking site is also known as a social

networking website or social website.
 Purpose of Social Networking Sites
• Social networking sites are used by diverse categories of users
for a variety of purposes. The main goal of the Social
Networking Sites is to provide an interactive environment to
communicate with peers and get useful information.
• The following aspects of Social Networking Sites are
identified:

1. To find useful information: Social Networking Sites are a

new platform for information sharing and communication,
where users can read, download and upload valuable as well
as up-to-date information and share with others. For instance,
read book reviews, join publishers/
2. To get opinions on different subjects: Social
Networking Sites users post their comments on a
subject matter for open discussion and get
diverse views of peers. The users community
give their feedback in the form of comments
regarding the topics posted.
3. For Entertainment: Many people admit that
these sites are merely a form of entertainment.
They use these sites as a creation network of
users, share and post funny videos or photos,
comment on the profile of others etc. Some
people use this media for eradicating loneliness
and depression.
4. For Socializing: The term "socializing" is
widely used in the field of Sociology which
means to create a society. In the context of Social
Networking Sites, socializing means to meet
people on a single platform, share common
interests and communicate with each other.
5. Discussion Forum: People on these sites join
different groups or communities like academic,
business, political and social welfare. Users of
Social Networking Sites discuss common
matters on related problems. They post common
topics for discussion and take views and
opinions of others.
6. To Share Experience and Expertise: The users
community share their experiences, achievements,
solve problems, give or take advice on it. They also
share personal information with those people whom
they do not even know.
7. For Academic Purpose: Academic bodies such as
school/college/university and other institutions are
making use of these type of media in order to
provide information on what is happening in their
respective institutes in the form of announcement
and news. They also help in providing reference
utility at admission time. The libraries also utilize
this technology to provide need- based services to
the users.
8. To Communicate with Family and Friends: It is a
new innovative tool for communication between
family and friends.
9. Playing Games: Most of the Social Networking
Sites provide features of games. This feature
which is very popular among teenagers is used
for playing online games.
10. To Keep-Up with Up-to-Date Happenings: This
medium keeps up-to-date with the current
happenings in society, profession, business and
work place of the users. For instance, if an earth
quake has occurred users have updated their
status on the Social Networking Sites .
11. Promote themselves and their Work: Everyone
can share their latest achievements in their
respective fields. The users community post their
journey photographs and personal videos.
12. Advertisements: Through Social Networking
Sites people can advertise a specific product on
an idea to create awareness among their clients.
On the other hand, these are also used to
publicize different issues and to get feedbacks.
13. Online Interaction: Social Networking Sites merely
facilitate with online interactions among people who
are located at distant places across the globe.
14. Feedback: The users give their appropriate
feedback regarding use of particular products and
services or about any issue.
15. Build Relationships: Social Networking Sites
connect those persons who have not yet met. It
also strengthens existing relationships by keeping
in touch and sharing personal information.
16. Professional Network: People related to similar
professions can share useful tips regarding
current happenings and discuss professional as
well as personal problems on Social Networking
Sites.
 History of Social Networking Sites
i. 1997: The Birth of Social Media
The first social media site that everyone can agree actually was
social media was a website called Six Degrees. It was
launched in 1997. It allowed users to create a profile and to
become friends with other users. From Six Degrees, the
internet moved into the era of blogging and instant messaging.
ii. 2000: The Internet is Everywhere
By the year 2000, around 100 million people had access to the
internet, and it became quite common for people to be engaged
socially online. But the huge boom of social media was still to
come. The early 2000s brought some huge developments in
social networking and social media.
iii. 2002: FRIENDSTER
Friendster was really the first modern, general social
network. Founded in 2002.

iv. 2003: HI5 , LINKEDIN, MYSPACE

Hi5 is another major social network, established in 2003
and currently boasting more than 60 million active
members according to their own claims.

LinkedIn was also founded in 2003 and was one of the

first mainstream social networks devoted to business.

MySpace was founded in 2003 and by 2006 had grown to

be the most popular social network in the world.
v. 2004: FACEBOOK , Orkut, Flickr
While Facebook started out as a Harvard-only social network
back in 2004, it quickly expanded to other schools, then to
high schools, businesses and eventually everyone (by 2006).
Orkut, a social networking website owned by Google.
Flickr, an image and video hosting website.

vi. 2006: Twitter

Twitter, one of the most popular social networking sites
worldwide.

vii. 2007: Tumblr

Tumblr, a popular microblogging and social networking
website.
viii. 2008: ResearchGate
ResearchGate, a social networking site for scientists and
researchers .

ix. 2010: Instagram, Pinterest

Instagram, a photo/video sharing and social media service.
Pinterest a photo sharing website.

x. 2011: Google+, Snapchat

Snapchat, a photo/video sharing and social media.
Google+, a social networking service.

xi. 2013: Instagram

Instagram launches video sharing
 FACEBOOK
• The most popular social media utility, Facebook
provides a way for users to build connections and
share information with people and organizations
they choose to interact with online.
• It was launched in February 2004, by Mark
Zuckerberg, along with fellow Harvard College
students and roommates.
 ResearchGate
• ResearchGate is a social networking site for scientists and researchers to share
papers, ask and answer questions, and find collaborators.

• ResearchGate was founded in 2008 by virologist and computer scientist Dr.

Ijad Madisch with physician Dr. Sören Hofmayer and computer scientist
Horst Fickenscher.

• It started in Boston, Massachusetts, and moved to Berlin, Germany, shortly

afterwards.

• Members of the site each have a user profile and can upload research output
including papers, data, chapters, negative results, patents, research proposals,
methods, presentations, and software source code. Users may also follow the
activities of other users and engage in discussions with them. Users are also
 Twitter
• Twitter is an online news and social networking
service on which users post and interact with
messages known as "tweets".
• Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack
Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan
Williams and launched in July of that year.
• Share your thoughts and keep up with others via
this real-time information network.
 Instagram
• Instagram is a photo and video-sharing social networking service
owned by Facebook, Inc. It was created by Kevin Systrom and
Mike Krieger, and launched in October 2010 exclusively on iOS.

• A version for Android devices was released two years later, in

April 2012

• Users can upload photographs and short videos, follow other

users' feeds and geotag images with the name of a location. Users
can set their account as "private", thereby requiring that they
approve any new follower requests. Users can connect their
Instagram account to other social networking sites, enabling
them to share uploaded photos to those sites.
 Linkedin
• LinkedIn is a business- and employment-oriented
service that operates via websites and mobile
apps. Founded on December 28, 2002, and
launched on May 5, 2003, it is mainly used for
professional networking, including employers
posting jobs and job seekers posting their CVs.
• The company was founded in December 2002 by
Reid Hoffman and founding team members from
PayPal and Socialnet.com
 Snapchat
• Snapchat is a multimedia messaging app popular in North
America and Europe created by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy,
and Reggie Brown, former students at Stanford University, and
developed by Snap Inc., originally Snapchat Inc.

• Snapchat is primarily used for creating multimedia messages

referred to as "snaps"; snaps can consist of a photo or a short
video, and can be edited to include filters and effects, text
captions, and drawings.

• One of the principal concepts of Snapchat is that pictures and

messages are only available for a short time before they become
inaccessible.
 Friendster
• Friendster was a social gaming site based in Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia. It was originally a social
networking service website. Before Friendster was
redesigned, the service allowed users to contact
other members, maintain those contacts, and share
online content and media with those contacts.
• Friendster was founded by Canadian computer
programmer Jonathan Abrams in 2002.
• Now, Friendster was relaunch as a social gaming
platform in June 2011.
 Disadvantages/Advantages of Social
Networking
1. Advantages
• Worldwide Connectivity
• Real-Time Information Sharing
• Targeted Advertising
• Increased News Cycle Speed
• Easy and instant communication

2. Disadvantages
• Cyber bullying and Crimes Against Children
• Risks of Fraud or Identity Theft
• Corporate Invasion of Privacy
• Distraction and procrastination
• The Addiction Is Real
 Issues related with Social Networking
• Privacy as the Main Concern: The number one problem
users as well as social network administrators face
everyday is security. Attacks on different social networking
website are always a possibility because the data protected
by social networks are too precious to be ignored by
attackers.
• Information Access: Access to social networking websites
varies. Some website will allow any user to access
information of persons even though they are not part of the
user’s network while some social network prohibit access
to any form of information without confirmation from the
profile owner.
• Clicking on Enticing Ads: Viruses and malware often
find their way onto your computer through those
annoying, but sometimes enticing ads.

• Exposing Too Much Information: Make sure you

understand the level of privacy - or lack of privacy - you
are agreeing to when volunteering personal information.
• Failing to Utilize Security Settings: Social media sites
provide you with the ability to restrict who has access to
your information.
• Connecting With Strangers: Be careful of who you
accept invitations from when building your online
network. Connecting and sharing information with
people you don't know can be dangerous.
• Updated Notification: Every social network provides
real time notification usually through email if there are
any changes in the user’s profile. But most notifications
are very limited
• Misuse of Social Networks: There are people who use
social network for scams and other illegal purposes.
There have been reports around the world that social
networks are used to spread rumors, lies or degrading
messages that could affect the person’s reputation.
“Cyber bullying” or an act of being hostile to another
user online has also been observed in some social
networks.
• Protection for Children: Aside from privacy and
misuse of social networks, the vulnerability of minors is
also a big problem for all social networks.