A social network service is social software specifically focused on the building and verifying of online social networks for online users as a meeting place. Many social networking services are also blog hosting services. The most prominent social networks worldwide are MySpace.com and HI5.com (estimated number of users is over 100 million), Facebook.com and Bebo.com (estimated number of users is over 25 million)

Basics of Social Networking

In general, social networking services, such as Bebo and Facebook, allow users to create a profile for themselves. Users can upload a picture of themselves or otherwise and can become “friends” with other users.

In most social networking services, both users must confirm that they are friends before they are linked. For example, if X lists Y as a friend, then Y would have to approve X’s friend request before they are listed as friends.

Some social networking sites have a “favorites” feature that does not need approval from the other user.

Social networks usually have a privacy control that allows the user to choose who can view their profile or contact them, etc. effectively banning their profile from unauthorised users.

Some major social networks have additional features, such as the ability to create groups that share common interests or affiliations, upload videos, and hold discussions in forums.

Users often try to “collect friends”, or try to be linked to as many friends as possible. Therefore, it is not uncommon for users to receive friend requests from people that they do not know.

Some users will create additional profiles that assume the identity of someone else, such as celebrities, politicians, or even their pets.

Some will create profiles for fictional characters. Others will try to become with real celebrities (shameless self promotion) to improve their status.

Issues Associated with Social Networking

On large social networking services, there has been growing concerns about users giving out too much personal information and the threat of sexual predators.

Be aware of data theft, etc or viruses. However, large services, such as MySpace and Bebo, often work with law enforcement to prevent such incidents.

In addition there is the wider privacy threat in relation to placing too much personal information in the hands of large corporations or governmental bodies, allowing a profile to be produced on an individuals behavior on which decisions, detrimental to an individual, may be taken.

In addition there is an issue over the control of data - information having been altered or removed by the user may in fact be retained and/or passed to 3rd parties.