Social networking services

Social networking services are online communities of people who share interests and activities. They allow users to create a profile of themselves, upload pictures, invite their friends and also make friends. Users can interact through emails, and instant messages.
There are about two hundreds social network services. The tops one are Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and Bebo.
Social networking services have become very popular to the point that even businesses are using them as a tool to build their brand image. Businesses create brand awareness through social networking services, they learn about new technologies and competitors, they look for potential prospects and they even recruit.
Social networking services are now being used in political campaigns. As we saw in the last presidential campaign, Youtube was a way for candidates to send out their messages, but also for voters to ask questions and get to know better their candidates, as well as the opponents.
The people of Boston will soon vote for a new Mayor. Candidates for the election are using different method to reach the voters. Michael Flaherty and Sam Yoon, who are two of the candidates in the mayoral election, are “pro” social networking services. Flaherty said in the Metro: “It’s about bringing the election to the people in real different way”. His site allows residents to share their ideas and make suggestions. Sam Yoon said that he will “engage in debates with Boston city residents on his Twitter page”. They are using Obama as a reference and Yoon said, “Obama really pointed the way in terms of how people get connected in new ways”.
One of the way people can get connected now is through social networking services, which is becoming a part of society, a part of the way people talk, and informed themselves, date, decide who they want to vote for and so on. This new way of communication facilitates the exchange of information. It touches a wide range of people, and in a political contest has proven to be very useful.
In everything that is good, there is a bad side that comes with it. Social networking services can be harmful for those who use them. The danger comes from having your identity stolen to young children being manipulated and abused. But for now it is not yet the prime concern of the media.