Online Social Networking
All over the internet there are people wanting to connect with other people. Deep with each individual there is a natural desire to be part of a community. The theme song from cheers rings in my ear “Wouldn’t you like to get away. Some place you want to go -where everybody knows your name and their always glad you came.” That desire is what has made social networking sites like MySpace so popular. MySpace is definitely not just for young teens and those that want to take advantage of them.
An analysis of visitors to MySpace.com shows that as the site has experienced dramatic visitor growth, it has become more popular among older Internet users. The most significant shift has occurred among teens 12-17, who accounted for 24.7 percent of the MySpace audience in August 2005, but today represent a much lower 11.9 percent of the site’s total audience. Conversely, Internet users between the ages of 35-54 now account for 40.6 percent of the MySpace visitor base, an 8.2 percentage point increase during the past year.
Source:Comscore.com
There are several areas of the internet to meet and then develop relationships. Message boards geared toward a personal interest have allowed individuals to develop relationships that have lasted for many years. Some have taken their friendships from the virtual world and brought them to the real world. Individuals that have met online have gone to conferences and went on vacations together.
Develop Relationships
Another web site Meetup allows for the creation of special interest groups where people can have discussions online and also have face-to-face Meetups. According to Meetup.com their most popular meetups at the moment are mom meetups. One complaint or issue with stay-at-home moms is the lack of social interaction. Through Meetup.com and other web site moms have the ability to have the connections that need.
Be Watchful of who is Watching You
Some things to note are to be watchful for predators, malicious software, and yourself. The cyber world is not just fantasy and you should be weary of potentially life altering dangers. Social networking can be lot of fun, but throwing caution to the wind in not an option. Some people have the wrong ideas in mind when going on these social networking sites. Children and teens should be watched because there are predators that just want to take advantage of them. Watching Dateline’s special “To Catch a Predator” reveals the quantity and depravity of online predators Adults need to also be guarded about the people they meet online. Not everyone is what they appear to be and there intentions may not always be as innocent as they want you to believe.
Malicious Software
Also, there have been cases where Trojans, spyware, and viruses have corrupted peoples computers just from visiting so social networking sites. The fact that it can happen at any site is true. Always have updated virus and firewall protection software installed on your computer. In Addition, have the latest updates and patches for your operating system.
Be Conservative About What you Post
Another point is to put thought into what you post on the internet and these social networking web sites. If you do post any images, make sure it is an image that you would not mind your potential employer viewing or anyone else doing a background check. Also do not post any comments that could give a negative impression of you. “When Tim DeMello is hiring, he visits popular social sites like MySpace and Facebook to see what, if anything, applicants have posted there. Source(Entreprenuer.com)”
Social networking sites have many positive potentials and that was the intention of their creators. However, as with most things in life, there are some that want to exploit it for their negative desires. Have fun, but remember to careful.
