Social Networks

MySpace may have gotten these off the ground, but Facebook, with all of its troubles, is the most vastly accepted form of social networking in the world. Facebook is now immortalized in film for future generations to see. I haven't seen the film because, in my opinion, Facebook is no more revolutionary than Google or Yahoo, but there it is for everyone to enjoy.

Social networking has a power and appeal unmatched by any other previous social interactive medium. Even at the height of chat-room popularity, nothing compares to the accessibility and appeal of MySpace, and now Facebook. Acceptance is reflected in that most every corporation now has a Facebook page, a move very similar to the late 90's when firms began to create a web presence, signalling the mainstream acceptance of the medium.

Facebook allows users to interact online with other users or entities, and allows the owners of the pages to get a small, un-scientific, gauge of how popular their company or product may be. A company can use the service to debut a new product, a politician can send campaign updates and interact with potential voters, and individuals can post pictures of a newborn baby and share with friends and family.

For all the good, social networking has it's bad points, as well. Some criticize the amount of exposure that children may have to predators. Others can seek to steal valuable personal information in an effort to steal your identity and ruin your credit. Cyberbullying is also made easier with these social networking application, a trend that has seen a spike in recent victims of peer-ridicule.

Like it or not, social networking is here to stay. For all it's bad points, the possibilities are endless. The usefulness as a communication tool is self-evident as more and more reputable companies utilize the medium to communicate with their target audiences.