Social networking service

A social networking service or social networking site, abbreviated as SNS, is a type of online social media platform. People use it to make friends and talk to others who share similar interests or jobs.

Social networking services look different and have many features. They work on desktops, laptops, tablet computers, and smartphones. These sites let users share ideas, pictures, videos, and posts. They help people tell others about things happening online or in real life. The web helps people connect with others all over the world, if they have an Internet connection.

Facebook has many users, while LinkedIn helps people connect for work. After the COVID-19 pandemic, Zoom became a way for people to meet for school, work, and other meetings. Social networking services can be used to talk with friends, find job opportunities, or get information and resources.

Offline and online social networking services

Social networking services are online places where people can meet others who have similar interests, backgrounds, or real-life connections. These services have many tools for talking with each other and can be used on computers, tablets, and smartphones.

History

The idea of using computers to help people connect was suggested a long time ago. Early online services like Usenet, ARPANET, and BBS tried to help people connect. These services had features that are now common on social networking sites.

Early social networking on the World Wide Web started with online communities such as Theglobe.com and GeoCities. These communities helped people chat and share ideas. In the late 1990s, user profiles became important, letting people list "friends" and find others with similar interests. New sites like SixDegrees and Friendster brought more advanced features. MySpace and LinkedIn launched in 2003, and Facebook became the largest site in 2009.

The term social media was first used in 2004 and often describes social networking services.

Social impact

Social networking services help people connect with others who share similar interests, no matter where they live. These services let people talk through messages and emails, and they create online groups where people can help each other. Companies also use social media to learn more about job candidates.

Researchers study how social media affects our lives, including our privacy and relationships. Many people use social media to get news, though they may have different ideas about how good it is. Social media can also affect our shopping choices and help with charitable causes. However, using social media too much can sometimes make people feel lonely or unhappy, especially when they compare their lives to others online. Sadly, social media can also lead to hurtful messages and arguments among users.

Features

Social networking sites have tools that help people connect. Users can make profiles that show things like their age, where they live, and what they like. Profiles often list friends and let users share photos, videos, and blog posts. Users can also leave comments for their friends.

Many social networks work on mobile phones. This lets users chat, share photos, and make their own groups. Some services let users change their usernames, but they should be careful because this might affect links from other users. Social networks also try to stop false information by adding labels to posts that are not true.

Emerging trends

The things you share online help you look good and show who you are.

As more people use social networking, new ways to use these platforms are appearing. Today’s users want quick and easy ways to do things every day. One big trend is “real-time web” and “location-based” services. Real-time lets users share updates instantly, like live radio or TV. Twitter started this with short updates, and Facebook added a “Live Feed” to show what users are doing right away. Some services focus on photos, like Clixtr, while Facebook is the biggest photo-sharing site. Pinterest became popular as a visual social network in the United States.

Companies also combine business tools with social networking. They create communities for people to share business needs or experiences. LinkedIn is one example, offering tools for professional networking. Other sites, like Monster.com, add social features to help with jobs and careers.

Some services let users check in to places they visit, like Foursquare and Gowalla, using phone GPS to show nearby events. Yelp also added check-ins to its app.

Businesses use social networking to build their brands. They share updates, manage their online image, recruit employees, learn about new technology, and connect with potential customers. Many people used Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn for these purposes.

Issues

Main article: Issues relating to social networking services

Social networking services can sometimes cause problems. These can include worries about privacy, being treated unkindly, and feeling nervous or anxious. It's important to be careful and kind when using these platforms.

Investigations

Main article: Use of social network websites in investigations

Social networking services are often used in legal and criminal investigations. Information shared on sites like MySpace and Facebook has helped police and school staff take action against users. In some cases, posts from MySpace have been used in court.

Schools and police sometimes use Facebook to find evidence. Because many students share personal details on Facebook, school staff and police can see these posts. For example, a UK police force looked at Facebook photos and arrested people who were in public places holding weapons, which is against the law.

Application domains

Government applications

Social networking helps government groups share updates and get ideas from people. This can also bring some risks.

The Centers for Disease Control used a kids' site called Whyville to show how important vaccinations are. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has a virtual island on Second Life where people can learn about effects of global warming. NASA uses social networking tools like Twitter and Flickr to help with reviews of space plans.

Business applications

Businesses use social networking to connect with others at low cost. This helps entrepreneurs and small businesses grow. Companies use these networks to keep in touch with customers and to advertise. Some companies even create their own social sites to build relationships with customers. Social networks are also used inside companies for teamwork, sharing files, and learning from each other. This is sometimes called "enterprise social software".

Dating applications

Many social networks let people chat and share information to find dates or relationships. Users usually share details like age, location, and interests. It’s important to be careful about sharing personal information online. Social networks are usually free, which has made them very popular for finding dates.

Educational applications

Schools and teachers use social networks to talk about education and schoolwork. Networks like HASTAC help teachers and students learn together. Sites like Ning, TermWiki, and TeachStreet support teachers and students by sharing ideas and resources. Some networks even act like online yearbooks for schools.

Finance applications

Social networks can create virtual money for global transactions. For example, Hub Culture uses a virtual currency called Ven for trading goods and services. In 2010, they added carbon pricing to this currency.

Medical and health applications

Healthcare workers are starting to use social networks to share knowledge and support each other. Sites like HealthUnlocked and PatientsLikeMe help people with health issues connect and share experiences. Others, like SparkPeople, focus on healthy living and weight loss, while Fitocracy and QUENTIQ help users share exercise activities.

Social and political applications

Social networks have helped in social and political movements. During the Egyptian revolution, Facebook and Twitter helped people organize protests and share news. Social media played a big role in Barack Obama's election campaign in 2008, helping him connect with people and volunteers. Many political campaigns now use social media to reach younger audiences and get them involved in politics.

Crowdsourcing applications

Main article: Crowdsourcing

Crowdsourcing platforms bring together freelancers like designers to work with businesses. This helps divide up big tasks or raise money for new companies and charities, either online or in person.

Open source software

Main article: Comparison of software and protocols for distributed social networking

Some projects create free and open source software for social networking services. These tools are called social engine or social networking engine software.

Largest social networking services

This is a list of the biggest social networking services. It shows them in order by the number of active users as of January 2024. The list was published by Statista.