INTRODUCTION:
Social Networking may be defined as people of similar interests connecting with each other. To be a little more elucidative, people from different geographical locations forming groups among themselves based on shared hobbies or subjects of common interest, and thereby developing or enhancing the number of people they are in contact with and have formed friendship links with. For example, say X is a member of a group which also has P, Q, R, T and U as members. Now if X knows P, then through P, X will be able to develop contacts with Q, R T and U, thereby enhancing the social networking capability of each individual in the group.
HISTORY:
Although many people feel that, the term ‘social networking’ became widely used only after the popularity of the internet, if we analyze the definition we see that social networking existed in the pre-internet world. This was in the form of clubs, associations of professionals (Chartered Engineers Association), book clubs, the annual meet of professionals in such sciences as Mathematics, Physics, Biochemistry, Economics where new developments were announced and paper read and subsequently published. These practices still go on now but with the advent of the internet, distances now do not matter. A person from New Delhi can become a member and network with a group based in Chicago, the other. In Research and Development, the progress made in a particular sub-field is known by all, by interested colleagues and other scientists who is also carrying out research work in the same or allied fields. This is undoubtedly helpful to not only the researchers but also to the public in general.
THE INTERNET:
Today while all sites can be used for ‘social networking’, we have some sites called ‘social media’ sites which are the main choice for social networking. These are Google +, Facebook, MySpace, Blogger, Twitter, LinkedIn and hundreds of other social media sites. Facebook and Google + are in general, portal sites. For social media portal sites, you have to be registered with the portal to post your opinion. You have two choices here. The first is that you can send a confidential message to someone, which no-one will be able to see or you can post your message on your wall. Linked in is the professional version. However in linked it, you are not able to post anything to anyone unless a relation of friendship exists between the two. Blogger is actually a Google powered program where you create WEB page/s on whatever you want to talk about or be passionate. Twitter is a micro blogging site where you cannot publish any message more than 140 characters in length.
What does Social Networking contribute to our development? Social Networking has been responsible not wholly, to some extent definitely, to bringing peace to the world. Earlier too petitions were given to influential people but never online. The election of President Obama witnessed a new approach via which people saw social media being used. Today the large no of things, which can be done online, has reduced our working hours so that we can indulge in work that is more productive. Or else, we can use this time in watching pornography, make obscene comments at portals etc. Like the Colt44, which was used both to kill and to maintain peace, we have the choices in front of us.
