Concept
Social networks, still referred to as social media,
do not constitute a new phenomenon. What has catapulted it into the
public eye is the explosive success it has achieved through the move
online.
Today’s social network / social media is a
place online where a user can create a profile and build a personal
network that connects them to other users. In the past five years, tens
of millions of Internet users have registered.
More than half of all
online Americans aged 12–17 use social networking sites.
These social
networks have been enriched by technology, providing the opportunity to
share photos, comments, and video as new ways of contacting people.
Trajectory
Social
networking is all-inclusive. It is free to register, though originally
some sites had restrictions. Facebook, for example, was only available
to university students when it began.
Entertainment acts are able
to post their works for review by potential supporters who are then
able to show their support by becoming ‘friends’ with the band or
artist. This can apply to a whole host of professions, clubs, and groups
who have the ability to manage themselves, their publicity and meeting
schedules all through the social network.
One important effect of
social media software is the capability of sharing knowledge. This
focus can provide different ways of solving problems. For example, a
company could replace an employee FAQ for an internal forum, or a chat.
Custom
applications add another avenue of opportunity. Successful applications
spread quickly through the groups, soon having many thousands of
members. How to capitalise on this is the current question on social
networks. One possible answer, at least in the short term, is targeted
advertising and tracking. As much as TV adverts are scheduled for a
certain audience, social networking would allow this on a much more
advanced level. Social networks are part of Web 2.0.
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