Social Networks

Introduction
A social network is an online service that establishes and maintains relationships, between people who share certain views and interests (wikipedia.org). Social networks have many uses, such as finding and staying in touch with friends, advertising products, and sharing thoughts and ideas with people who have similar likes and professions. There are many different social networks including MySpace, LinkedIn, Skyrock, Hi5, and Bebo. The two most widely used worldwide are Facebook and Twitter (wikipedia.org).

Uses and Trends of Social Networks
Every social network is different in its own way. However, they all share the same overall goal, which is to connect people from all over the world and allow them to easily communicate with others. Businesses are beginning to see the advantages of using social networks to advertise their products and make customers feel more important. Simple video games within the social networks are also becoming extremely popular. Games such as Facebook's Farmtown and Mafia Wars allow users to not only play the games, but also connect with their friends through certain game features. Another trend is the ability to make online groups and pages that help people from all over the world hold discussions and share pictures that have to do with a common interest. Mobile social networking has also become popular, allowing people to access their networks through their cell phone. This allows a user most of the same advantages that a person has at a computer (Wikipedia.org).

Privacy and Issues of Social Networks
As the popularity of social networks continues to grow, so do issues with privacy, identity theft, and sexual predators (wikipedia.org). Personal information can be easily accessed by almost anyone, making it easy for cyber criminals to steal information and ideas. Most platforms let users choose who can see there profiles. Meaning only friends can view their profile, however this method isn't a perfect solution. Cyber-bullying via social networks is also a big problem. A recent study shows that up to 39% of users have been victims of cyber-bullying depending on which social network. Teenagers especially are prone to this form of abuse causing depression, trauma, and suicide in a extreme case. One other issue involving social networking is addiction and obsession, also called Facebook Addiction Disorder (FAD) (wikipedia.org).