Social Networking and Pets

Chances are, you are already a member of a social networking site like MySpace or Friendster. Aside from people, did you know that your pet can also have their own profile?

Yes it’s true that there are already a few social networking sites for pets. A few examples of these include Dogster, Catster, Hamsterster and Petster. Each one already has hundreds of members and by signing up, you can create a profile for your pet.

Similar to social networking sites for humans, you can upload photographs, videos and create a complete personality of your pet.

Becoming a member is free and once you sign up, you will be able to meet other pet owners, get tips and advice from experts. There is even a blog which you can use to share stores about your pet and tell others out there how great he or she is. This might even lead to a lengthy discussion when members can write their comments.

Within the social network, you can also create your pet polls, have discussion groups and special interest clubs apart from those created by those who own and operate the site.

If you put an interesting profile for your pet, you could be given recognition as pet for the day or win an award that allows members to win prizes.

As a result, those who see it will mostly like want to add you as a friend. It is your discretion now whether to accept or decline it.

Since your pets are not the ones who typed the profile, many use this to connect with other pet lovers. If you have a dog, it is easier for you to get to know someone here rather than walking up to that individual when you see them at the park.

Aside from meeting dog lovers, you can also meet those who have cats, fish, hamsters and other any creature.

Not all the social networking sites are free. One example is Facebook that will require you to pay $19.99 to be able to use add-ons to feature your pet which is a feature that existing members can use. Then again, why pay when there are others around that offer the same features and this is offered to you for free.

Must you have a pet to join social network? The good news is no because the important thing is that you love animals. However, if you are interesting in owning one, there is a special section that allows you to adopt one especially when there are a lot of abandoned animals that need decent shelter. You just enter your breed reference, age, gender and size so a list of possible prospects will come out so you can choose and bring home.

Making a social network for pets probably sounded crazy a few years ago but you can’t deny the fact that it already has hundreds of members.

The biggest of which happens to be Dogster followed by Catster which could mean that there are more dog owners out there compared to cats or any other animal.

So if you want to meet other people who also love to care for animals, this type of social networking is just right for you. Just remember that the star here is your pet and he or she is your ticket in making new friends.

The Many Benefits That Today’s Social Networking Sites Can Provide

If you’ve previously resisted invitations to join social networking sites because you regarded them as mere trends, then you should consider the other benefits to be had from these sites.

One of the most obvious benefits that these sites offer is the ability to keep in touch with friends and family anywhere in the world. With the bulletin board updates, you could read about how your friends and relatives are doing. You can be quickly informed if they’re getting married or if they’ve gotten sick and need a friendly call to wish them well. You could also find long lost classmates and acquaintances and drop them a message to see how they’re doing.

Can you use a social network for your work or for business purposes?

You could also get business benefits through online networking. Are you an entrepreneur thinking about how to use the networking sites for your business? You can think of social networking as a type of free online advertisement. By creating a bulletin board notice, you could inform the people in your network of the existence of your product and its benefits. You could also include information regarding how to buy the product or how to contact you through the social network. And you may also ask the people in your network to post your advertisement as well. If you’ve written an interesting advertisement, it might end up reaching a lot more people just like a viral advertisement.

If you’re an artist or a performer, you could use your social network to inform people about your upcoming events. You could post video on the homepage of your online network to entice people and give them an idea about you as an artist. You could easily use the online networking sites to gain many more fans online. This type of promotion is something that would have cost a lot of money before the advent of these online networking sites.

Even politicians have taken to using these social networks. By joining these social networks, they can make it easier for the people to know about their views and policies. This also makes it easier for them to get new supporters from the usually younger crowd. This also gives their supporters a way to contact them easily. You could send messages to politicians telling them about your opinions on different political issues.

You could also use these social networks to make people more aware about the issues you care about. If you care about certain issues, you could create an article or bulletin board message for the people in your network to read. That way, you could inform more people about these matters and get their support. You could also think of these networking sites as a news source. You could keep yourself informed about the matters that people are currently talking about.

Even companies and organizations have started creating online network accounts. That way, their members could link up with the organizations’ account and any organization news could easily be disseminated. This makes for an inexpensive way to keep every worker or organization member informed.

Knowing the many benefits that these social networking sites can provide, you will surely agree that you should create an account and build an online network of contacts as soon as possible.

Social Networking Sites as the Cyberfriends Central Station

When was the last time you heard from your high school buddies? Are you one of those people who either hate or love high school reunions? Do you want to know what’s going on with your elementary school friends? What ever happened to the guy in high school that was voted most likely to succeed? Do you want to reconnect with old friends that you haven’t seen in years? Are these the questions that pop in your head when you look at your old yearbook? Or you just want to meet new people and have a little more spunk in your boring life? If your answer is yes to all of the questions then social networking websites are for you.

But what is social networking and aren’t you too old for this? To understand the concept of social networking we first have to know the fundamentals of it. First of all, social networking is a way of rekindling ties lost due to the stress of time, career, location and communication (or the lack of it). In short it’s like a reunion party 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days in a year.

Social networks were originally meant to keep a certain group of people sharing the same interests together. It is achieved by members of a network introducing new people into the group, it can be done personally but nowadays online social networking is more popular. And because the internet is filled to the brim with social networking websites it didn’t take long before people started using sites like these for meeting new people, starting personal relationships and meeting business relationships as well.

People who are engaged in social networking through the internet have varied communities of hobby enthusiasts, social groups, colleagues, practitioners of the same field, colleges and schools and even communities and cities. On the internet there are social networking sites that only allow access to people who share the same interest, there are also free for all sites that allow access to people who have diverse backgrounds and interests. In general, social networking sites are like hubs where people hang out to meet other people.

Some social networking sites also include people searches based on schools, countries, religion, preference and interests. In today’s society social networking sites allow people to maintain communication with friends and family members that are far away from each or have little time to go out and meet people.

An advantage of joining a social networking group is the ability to tell people about your status and progression. Sites like these also allow people to express their thoughts on certain topics and issues that they encounter on a daily basis. Social networking sites also allow people to showcase other talents that they have like groups interested in photography. Others also use social networking sites to gain access to people who could ultimately help them out in the future. It’s also a place where you have freedom to express your opinions on people, events and other topics that you have special interest in without having any fear of people judging you.

There are dozens of social networking sites for you to choose from on the Internet that cater to different kinds of people’ interests like MySpace, Orkut, Tagged, Multiply, Friendster, Yahoo space, MSN Space etc.

Social Networking Can Help Your Business

The objective of social networking is to allow members who have the same interest to communicate with one another. With so many of them around, why not take advantage of it because this is a tool that can make promote your business.

Social networking sites are a gold mine because you get to promote your product without having to pay for advertising. Studies show that people who know you are more receptive to a familiar face rather than saying yes to someone they just met.

To get started, the first thing you have to do is become a member of a social network. There are hundreds of them around and once you sign up, you should create profile page which tells people out there who you are.

Since most social networking sites allow you to personalize your webpage, make use of it by putting your company logo, a picture of yourself and your company profile. To sell yourself, talk about your experiences of being in the business.

If the site has a section that allows you to post blogs and bulletins, maximize it by showing what products or services you currently have and maybe a preview of what is in store in the future.

For those who already have their own website, put a link through the social network so people who want to know more will be able to directly gain access to it.

Another thing you shouldn’t forget to do is visit other forums within the social network. This will enable you to find out what others are taking about. Who knows? It’s possible that another member has a problem and you are the answer to their prayers. It is also possible that the information from the forum will give you ideas so you can add new products.

Since you want your customers to become part your client base, it is important that maintain quality in your products and services. This will let others know about who you are and this will spread by word of mouth.

To add revenue to your business, you can allow other businesses to advertise in your webpage for a small fee.

The best way to get the most out of social networking sites is to advertise your products in more than just one. So you don’t waste your time, you should do research as to which ones are frequented by most people. If this is too general, try to look for a social network that specializes in whatever business or service you are offering.

From there, you build up your image and hope that in time, you will have a regular client base that will give you a steady flow of income every month.

Social networking can help your business and the best part is that it is free to join and there are no additional costs to maintain your membership.

Why is it free? Because companies who maintain these social networking sites know that it is counterproductive to charge fees from their members when they can get more money from companies who engage in online advertising in their sites.

As the entrepreneur, you should just have to put in the time and effort so you will get noticed. Just like other businesses, the use of social networking is not the backbone of your business but merely something that helps attract additional revenue.

Social Networking and Teens

Social networking sites are very popular among teens because this is gives them a sense of belonging. While many say that this is part of growing up, there are risks involved, which is why they should be cautions.

Since they are not kids anymore, they more or less know which information of themselves should be made public. It is okay to talk about their hobbies, their favorite band or sport but not post their phone number or address since someone might call them up or visit them at home.

They should only add friends that they know in real life like their classmates, teachers and family members.

So no one outside their friends will be able to read anything that they posted, it is best that this is set to private. Doing so will prevent people who are not in the friend’s list from viewing their blogs or photos.

Before you post it, make sure that this is tasteful and not sexually provocative.  You can make alterations using some programs to remove any identifying information.

They also should not post any plans like where they will be on the weekend to avoid meeting someone who could be a potential threat.

When they open an account, they should use a screen name and not their real name. It is also advisable not to mention their real age or gender as some sites require it.

The only way your teen can log into their account is to type in their username or email address and password. The password must never be shared to anyone even their friends.

Should they encounter any harassment or negative comments on their profile, it must be ignored and reported to the administrator.

The time may come that someone they meet online will want to meet them in person. It is probably okay to do so after knowing this person for some time and not after chatting with them only once.

When they do decide to meet, they should still exercise caution by telling someone where they are going and who they are meeting. They could even bring a friend along so they will feel safe. Should things go well without any incident, then there won’t be any problems. But should the uneventful take place, they should be report this to the police and to the administrator so the one responsible for this will be punished.

While some teens may think that they are not given any privacy, parents who decide to put the computer in an open area like the kitchen or family room are actually doing them a favor. This will let the parents know what sites they visit, what content they have downloaded and monitor their surfing habits.

When the teen is logged into a social networking site or simply hanging out with friends, it is important that they just be themselves. This means not being bullied or pressured to do something they don’t want to do or be something they aren’t which can only be achieved of course by knowing their limits.

They should also stop chatting with someone who asks about their physical features or what is their attitude toward sex because the individual who is asking just wants to have sex which is a classic case of manipulation and not true friendship.

Social Networking: Positive and Negative Aspects

By Kathy Fernandes

Social Media and Social Networking sites are taking the internet by storm. Social media serves as a great platform to interact with friends, relatives or make new friends and meet new people online. Social Media sites are technologically advanced web interfaces offering content-exchange via short-messaging services, email or chat. In spite of its growing popularity, social media faces threats of hacking.

Although people find social media essential for retaining ties, it poses threat of vulnerabilities. Since social media consists of personal information, the users must be extremely careful while providing confidential information to these sites. Though some famous social networking sites, such as, Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, Google and Orkut, etc are extremely popular, they too face the threats to its users who are oblivious to safe internet practices. It is better not to give out passwords very easily, too much information sharing can often be counter-productive. It is advisable not to reveal your future travel plans on a social media site, your profile viewer with malicious intentions may plan to commit burglary in your apartment!

Therefore, privacy concerns must be of primary importance in networking. It is true that social networking provides an opportunity to develop inter-personal relationship, one need to be aware of the possible security threats. Especially, students often post detailed and specific information, on Facebook, Friendster, MySpace, etc, they can be more easily traced by strangers and even acquaintances!

Often they violate the school policy or the code of conduct by posting inappropriate pictures or information on their social networking profiles, so they are held accountable when the school administrators further investigate the matter. Moreover, other disadvantage is that students are often turned down job offers because of their information employers are finding out about students on their social networking sites! The employers take these images the students portray on these sites very seriously because it depicts the reflection of personal character!

Well, keeping aside the dangers of socializing on the net, it can be a good way to communicate with friends and relative, also to make connection to people with similar tastes, interests and goals! Thanks to social networking sites, because often meeting people personally has become the thing of the past. Thus, staying connected with classmates and colleagues is a major benefit of social networking sites!

It helps to stay connected with different cultural program, events listing and other information related to campus culture. What a great way to stay understand and stay connected to your campus community as a whole! Most importantly, these sites offer students the opportunity to create a positive self image.

Last but not the least, if you want to stay safe on the net, evaluate your profile account and postings frequently.Do not post your personal information, address or cell number. You can utilize and adjust your privacy settings so as to control who has the access to your personal information.

As it is said, everything has both bright and dark sides, we should be careful in using social networking sites constructively rather than destructively! So, enjoy, happy networking!

The Author Kathy Fernandes is a freelance writer in local newspaper and magazines covering topics like networking and social media.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathy_Fernandes
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Six Popular Social Networking Sites

Social networking is now part of our culture. In fact, there are so many to choose from and those who decide to become a member of one are more likely to become a member of another. Just to give you an idea of what is around, here are six of some of the most popular social networking sites.

1. The first is called Facebook. As of July last year, it has the largest number of registered users among college focused sites with more than 34 million members worldwide.  Although it is the seventh most visited site in the US, it ranks number one for photos. What makes this social networking site so special is that it generates revenues through advertising which according to some is a little over $1.5 million a week.

2. Next is MySpace which was founded in 2003. According to a study, this social networking site is the world’s sixth most popular English language website and the third most popular in the US. Similar to Facebook, members are able to post pictures, videos, blogs and music.

3. The third is YouTube which unlike the other two only focuses on the uploading, viewing and sharing of video clips. Established in 2005, members are able to upload videos for free and save those which they like in their account. If you want to save this in your computer, there are software programs you can use. The nice thing about this social networking site is that even unregistered users are also able to watch videos.

4. The fourth site is Second Life which is an Internet based virtual world. What makes this so different from the other three is the fact that you are able to create a character and then interact with other members. By interacting with other members, you are able to participate in individual and group activities, create and trade items and services with one another again in a virtual setting.

To date, this social networking site has 8.9 million registered residents with a majority of them that happen to be inactive and some of them are owned by one person.

5. For business networking, one of the most popular ones around is Linkedin which has 12.5 million members. Established in 2003, this social networking site is designed to give registered users a way to maintain contact with people they know so those within the connection can use it to find business opportunities, find jobs and new contacts as well as review or recruit potential candidates.

6. One of the oldest social networking sites around is Classmates which has over 40 million members. Established in 1995, it is a great way to connect with old friends back from high school or college. After so many years, you and your friends have changed and now have successful careers which you can use should you decide to go into business together.

These are just a few of the hundreds of social networking sites around. What makes each of these so popular is the fact that members are able to use it for free and when used for business, they don’t have to pay for advertising. That is unless of course you will be utilizing pop up ads and banners. But the simplest way is to post links to your webpage so members who may need your products or services will get in touch with you or recommend you to someone who needs it.

Utilizing Online Social Networking in Education

There is still an ongoing debate on the direct benefits of making the use of social networking in education. Unfortunately for these online social networking sites, or SNS, their early reputation has long preceded their potentials. Facebook, Friendster and MySpace are just some examples of such sites which have created a stigma around themselves that technology per se does not deserve.

But with the lines blurring, it is interesting to know that a change is taking place, and it relates to what could be the productive role of online social networking in the lives of students.

Issue of safety and influence

Majority of the contents of online SNS are user generated. They are open to anyone who wishes to become a member. Because some users often post detailed and specific personal details (including addresses and phone numbers), compromising and unsuitable pictures, statements or other information, SNS are considered as a playground for online predators.

Students are getting in trouble with their school administrators for posting self incriminating and unacceptable pictures or information, which violate imposed school policies or code of conduct. School administrators, however, do not monitor the activities of their students in online social networking activities; but if their students’ online accounts that violate school policies are reported to them or are brought to their attention, then they may investigate the matter further.

Collaboration rather than conflict

The challenge in utilizing the potentials of SNS in the lives of students lies in how to integrate such sites with academic practice. Initially, as expected, academic institutions had refused to accept the influence of social networking activities in the lives of their students. However, it is without a doubt that despite of the downsides, the internet is a powerful educational tool – a virtual school grounds where students can meet and chat, and bring learning to them without having to leave their homes.

Recently, the same school institutions had to see these SNS with a fresh eye. This technological socialization among students may just be a potentially effective partner in the education system. There should be an alliance, rather than a collision, between the online activities of students and academic goals. The challenge here is how to harness the promise of SNS and how to integrate it effectively with the traditional academic methods.

Of course it is not generally possible to directly incorporate SNS directly into the classrooms; such are tools primarily for socializing. But these tools have grown to a level so potentially useful among students that educators should not ignore its value. With optimism, this goal may be realized through the following:

* Paying attention and looking into social networking sites - School administrators must not express disproval of networking activities utterly without really understanding how it works. Exploring these sites will reveal what makes it popular among their students.

* Employing the educational worth of social networking activities - Educators may deliberately consider ways of extending classroom activities onto the internet. Online communities work by providing ways through which users interact. Deliberately thinking of projects and assignments to be executed by the students through SNS may make the most out of it.

Effectively diverting the influence of SNS to a more positive side will strengthen role of online technology to the students. The role of social networking in education may just be an integral part of the learning process of the students, and not merely a distraction.