Social networking in today’s world

Social networking in today’s world 

Hands up those of you who like to chat online? Howmany of you use Facebook? Probably quite a few of you, as in today’s world we can’t seem to live without it. So what is a social network? It isa way of communicating with other people. Why do we use them? Because we like to communicate with other people, especially our family and our friends. It is a good way tokeep in touch. There are many different forms of social networking.

Probably the most popular today are Facebook, Skype, MySpace, Twitter,Google chat,Yahoo! Messenger and ICQ. All are different. So what isFacebook? It is a network that allows users to communicate with othersusing chat. It also allows you to upload photos etc.

Skype allows users totelephone each other for free – if using another computer.It allows us to phone each other in different countries at a greatly reduced rate –the cost of a local landline call, thus transforming how we communicate with each other. Other similar networks allow one to telephone to far off countries at an even lower telephone rate than Skype charges.

The ‘new’ Skype gives a better sound performance -whereas before the sound quality was poor.

Users today can see each other if they use a video camera.

ICQ network has also upgraded itself. However, it tends not to be as popular today as it used to be.It depends on which country you are living in and what your friend’s use, as to what you useand what is themost popular form of communicating.

 Twitter is also very popular today.

People like to upload messages like “I just made a cup of tea.” However, it came into its own during the Iranian election when the current governmentcracked down on its own population. It denied them the freedom of

communication. Twitter users told the world what was really happening.

Other networks like Unister, for university students, are used. Social networking  sites like MySpace have rapidly evolved and will probably continue to do so. While Facebook and Skype remain the most populartoday who knows what tomorrow’s new technology willbring us!