https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/social-networking
Social networks are websites and apps that allow users and organizations to connect, communicate, share information and form relationships. People can connect with families, friends, others in the same area, and those with the same interests.
Social networks have evolved into one of the most important uses of the internet today and play a critical role in modern life, facilitating social interaction as well as business, education, and entertainment.
Popular social networking sites, such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok, help individuals maintain social connections, stay informed and access or share information. These platforms have become indispensable tools for marketers to reach their target audiences with tailored content and advertising.
Since the launch of the first social networking site, SixDegrees.com, in 1997, social network adoption has grown exponentially. By January 2023, more than 4.76 billion people worldwide were using social networks, according to DataReportal statistics. The number of social network users continues to grow, highlighting the increasing importance of these platforms in our daily lives.
Social networking refers to forming connections in person or online. In today's digital era, it primarily refers to online interactions on the internet. Social networking sites let people connect with others across the globe whom they might never have met in person. Users typically access social networking sites on their computers, tablets, or smartphones.
Most social networking sites rely on complex back-end systems that use databases, algorithms, and programming languages (e.g., Python, Ruby on Rails) to organize, store and retrieve data for seamless user experiences. For example, platforms like Tumblr leverage Google Analytics and Google Workspace to enhance daily operations.
While social networks are diverse in their purposes, operations and other traits, most share several common characteristics:
It's important to differentiate between social networks and social media. Social networking refers to fostering relationships and connections while social media emphasizes broadcasting content to a broader audience, similar to traditional mass media.
Social networking serves several key purposes:
There are various categories of social networking sites, each with a unique focus:
Social networking provides significant social benefits, yet it can also make people more vulnerable to the spread of misinformation, as well as privacy and security threats. Here is a summary of the pros and cons:
Social networking provides businesses with unprecedented opportunities to engage with customers, gather feedback, and conduct market research. Globally, the average person spends over two hours daily on social media, making it a valuable tool for marketing and customer engagement.
Social networks have transformed into highly profitable businesses. Meta Platforms Inc. (formerly Facebook) has a market capitalization of nearly $300 billion, generating most of its revenue from targeted advertising. Businesses use social networks to target specific audiences with advertisements based on their browsing habits, likes and connections.
Many organizations are also developing internal social networks for employees to foster engagement and collaboration. These networks are becoming crucial for teams working remotely or across geographically dispersed locations.
Virtually all established organizations advertise on social networking these days. Here are four examples of social networking websites:
While there are countless social networking platforms, the most popular as of 2024 include the following:
While used and enjoyed daily by much of the world's population, social networks are also potentially dangerous. Social media addition is becoming common. People can begin to feel a sense of anxiety if they don't check their social media accounts, or they might compulsively refresh them. Social networking posts are also highly curated; people often only post the good things that happen to them. This can cause a warped view of reality where the viewer thinks that others have better lives than they do. This leads to a fear of missing out (FOMO) on social events.
Cyberbullying occurs when someone makes social media posts with the intention of harming someone else. This can take the form of publicly posting the private information of someone or sending abusive messages. Tragically, cyberbullying has led to the suicide of some individuals. It is now a major concern in public schools. Doxing occurs when someone publicly posts someone else's personally identifiable information, such as an address or phone number.
Privacy is a major concern for many social network users. Anything posted can become marketing data companies use for targeted advertising. Private information, such as a person's location or even embarrassing details, can become public. Law enforcement officials can request the use of this information. Additionally, some social networks have confusing privacy settings, causing people to accidentally make information public. Since they store a lot of personal information, social networks are also susceptible to data breaches.
Censorship is another hot topic. Social networks are private companies, so content individuals post isn't necessarily protected by governmental free speech laws, but instead is protected at the discretion of the site's terms of service or administrators. Operators must know and monitor what is allowed on their sites. This can be challenging when it comes to divisive political issues, hate speech and calls to violence. Some say that the sites have a moral responsibility to take a hard stand against all negative speech, while others say that all speech should be allowed and that any content removal is censorship.
Misinformation can spread easily on social networks. Users are encouraged to share the latest news or discuss new topics. This can amplify rumors or hearsay. Users, organizations and even governments can intentionally share false information, sometimes while pretending to be someone else. This has caused some social networks to begin adding fact-check alerts to some posts that might contain misinformation.
Learn ways to spot disinformation on social media and essential social media guidelines for employees. Explore the history and evolution of social media.
22 Jan 2025