this is the complete research information of social networking sites

1. ONLINE SOCIAL
NETWORKING
Report by: Pratima
Kavya

2. Vinodhini
shantha
Introduction
Social Networking Sites (SNSs) have become a global phenomenon, with communities such as MySpace,
Facebook and Bebo reporting user figures in the hundreds of millions. People, having been invited into or
chosen to join these communities, are able to publish multimedia content about themselves, their interests
and concerns. They can establish links to existing friends or discover new friendships because the social
networking sites help them to identify people who share common interests and pastimes.
The rapid growth of social networking that has been observed over the last two to three
Years is indicative of its entry into mainstream culture and its integration into the daily lives of
Many people. In parallel with this, there has also been considerable media coverage of the
Growth of social networking, its potential positive outcomes and concerns about the way that
Some people are engaging with it.
The Rise of Online Social Networking
So exactly why have these sites become so popular? What has driven millions of previously novice users
to participate in the most recent digital paradigm shift? We suggest that there are two factors at play here,
both significant. Firstly, the networking factor itself; the ability to form different networks with people
who share such things as location, political views, aspirations, hobbies and so on. Secondly, the
supposition that internet users want to freely create and share their own content without having to undergo
the sometimes mundane task of setting up and managing their own websites. User generated content is
thus empowering millions of people to express their views, ideology and moods with the internet world
and to learn about the views, ideas and moods of others. Users of online social networking sites are now
liberated to do exactly as they wish including creating any relationships that they choose.
Online social networks are increasingly drawing people into the online world; providing the motivation
and purpose to engage in a medium which hitherto held little attraction. Applications such as Facebook
and Friends Reunited appeal to very large audiences and appeal to the inherent inquisitiveness we have

3. about other people and what they are doing with their lives. This desire to learn about and connect with
others (whether we know them or not) can be harnessed to strengthen other offline activity. For example,
a group of carers may come together in a workshop to talk about issues and concerns they have in
common. They may have a desire and need to continue their conversations at any time. The use of an
online social network then becomes a way of sustaining communication and continued sharing of
experience and learning
The Role of Social Networking
The rise of SNSs has resulted in significant changes to the way in which many of us interact with others
and how we distribute content across the internet. However, when we talk about social networks we are
talking about social relations between people who have some type of relationship or affiliation. In this
sense, social networking technologies merely provide the infrastructure to do this in different ways. Prior
technologies including the multitude of applications on the internet (such as chat rooms and online
games), mobile phones, and landline based telephones all continue to facilitate social networking.
However, it is the range of features and capabilities of social networking sites that have captured the
public‟s imagination and have led to them being marked as different and new.
In a few years, SNSs have found a place in many people‟s daily lives, whether they are at home, in the
office or on the move.
Objectives
This report is dedicated to look at social networking that has undertaken. It seeks to understand how
people are using social networking sites as well as their attitudes to this form of communication.
The objectives of this report are as follows:
• To set social networking sites in the wider media literacy, online and communications
Context.
• To profile the use of sites.
• To understand people‟s use of sites.
• To investigate concerns about privacy and safety.
Executive summary
Social networking sites offer people new and varied ways to communicate via the internet,
Whether through their PC or their mobile phone. Examples include MySpace, Facebook and

4. Bebo. They allow people to easily and simply create their own online page or profile and to
Construct and display an online network of contacts, often called „friends‟. Users of these
Sites can communicate via their profile both with their „friends‟ and with people outside their
List of contacts.
The rapid growth of social networking sites in recent years indicates that they are now a
Mainstream communications technology for many people.
The average adult social networker has profiles on 1.6 sites, and most users
Check their profile at least every other day.
Two-thirds of parents claim to set rules on their child‟s use of social
Networking sites, although only 53% of children said that their parents set
Such rules
How people use social networking sites
 Users create well-developed profiles as the basis of their online presence
 Users share personal information with a wide range of „friends‟
 While communication with known contacts was the most popular social networking activity, 17%
of adults used their profile to communicate with people they do not know. This increases among
younger adults.
 Only a few users highlighted negative aspects to social networking
Categorising Social Networks
 Profile-based social networks
 Content-based social networks
 White-label social networks
 Multi-User Virtual Environments
 Mobile social networks
 Micro-blogging/Presence updates
Simplified timeline of selected social networking sites

5. Digital Equality
In order to help look at how SNSs could contribute further to digital equality, we have developed a simple
classification system using a 2 x 2 matrix, based on the reach of the network and its relationship to
„offline‟ networks. A third dimension related to the level of immersion could be added, but we do not
believe this contributes significantly to digital equality considerations. The four quadrants are therefore:
Global/Existing: global platform which primarily adds value to existing offline social networks. eg
Facebook.
Global/New: global platform that provides a „meeting‟ place for creation of new
networks/relationships. eg Second Life
Local/Existing: a local/thematic platform which primarily adds value to existing offline social
networks. eg Community Forum
Local/New: local/thematic platform that provides a „meeting‟ place for the creation of new
networks/relationships. egNetmums
Applying this approach we can plot exemplar SNSs. It is important to note that some social
networking sites are not mutually exclusive and can fall into multiple categories

6. When looking at the relationship between SNSs and digital equality, we need to think about a method
which can highlight where exactly SNSs can be of most benefit; for instance providing an entry point to
the ‟Digital World‟ for those not engaged, or supporting delivery of public service transformation. We
also need some form of classification of the digital users and non users, and we have adopted the
classification in the Oxford Internet Institute report on the link between social and digital inclusion.
Social Groups
socially isolated
economically disadvantaged
young independents
urban minorities
rural England
well off, up and coming
User Type
basic engagement ( accessing information )
intermediate engagement ( transacting )
advanced networking (networking )

7. Main social networking sites that people are using
MySpace, Facebook and Bebo are the most popular sites
Consistent with numerous media reports, the top three sites arewere Facebook, MySpace and Bebo. The
majority of adults who had used a social networking site had a profile on Facebook (62%) and this was
the most mentioned main social networking site (49%). Nearly half of all respondents reported having a
profile on MySpace and one-third had one on Bebo. On average, adults reported having
Profiles on 1.6 sites. Thirty-nine per cent of adults had two or more profiles.
There were insufficient social networking users aged over 35 to examine whether there were
any differences in the choice of site among this age group. However, among those aged under 35, there
were no variations between the 16-24s and the 25-34s.
Understanding behaviors and attitudes towards social networking sites
Social networkers differ in their attitudes to social networking sites and in their behavior
While using them. That site users tend to fall into five distinct groups based on their behavior‟s and
attitudes. These are as follows:
• Alpha Socializers – (a minority) people who used sites in intense short bursts to flirt,
meet new people, and be entertained.
• Attention Seekers – (some) people who craved attention and comments from others,
Often by posting photos and customizing their profiles

8. • Followers – (many) people who joined sites to keep up with what their peers were
Doing.
• Faithful’s – (many) people who typically used social networking sites to rekindle old
Friendships, often from school or university.
• Functional – (a minority) people who tended to be single-minded in using sites for a
Particular purpose.
Non-users also appear to fall into distinct groups; these groups are based on their reasons
for not using social networking sites:
• Concerned about safety – people concerned about safety online, in particular making
Personal details available online.
• Technically inexperienced – people who lack confidence in using the internet and
Computers.
• Intellectual rejecters – people who have no interest in social networking sites and see
Them as a waste of time.
Awareness of social networking sites and profile of users
Given the recent and rapid growth of sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Bebo, and the
Fast pace of change in this area in general, data on awareness and use quickly become out
Of date. However, it is still useful to report data for such measures, as they provide an insight
Into the extent of social networking at a particular point in time.
Awareness of social networking sites is generally high, although people are
Not necessarily familiar with the term
Despite young people being a core market of social networking sites, their spontaneous
awareness of the generic term ‟social networking sites‟ was significantly lower than that of
their parents (37% vs. 50%).
Frequency of using social networking sites
Half of all users access social networking sites at least every other day
Respondents with a profile on a social networking site claimed to use the sites fairly
Frequently, with 87% accessing their profile at least once a week, and 50% at least every
other day. Frequency of visiting a social networking site did not appear to vary by socioeconomic
Group.

9. Some teenagers and adults in their early twenties reported feeling „addicted‟ to social networking sites
and were aware that their usage was squeezing their study time. Some users described how they might
plan to go onto their site to check for messages and then emerge a few hours later – having been drawn
into commenting, searching and generally having fun.
Reasons for Nonparticipation in SNSs
People simply don‟t wish to participate, or are perceived security and privacy exposures driving them
away?
Two-thirds of these respondents say that one of their top three reasons for not using SNSs is that they are
just not interested, and two-fifths say they don‟t like SNSs, whereas security and privacy concerns were less
frequently chosen
 Substituting e-friends for real friends is not only sad, it‟s counterproductive to
living a healthy normal life.”
 “Social networking websites are abhor-rent. While I like the idea of „a world
community,‟ humanity has a lot of maturing to do before any of these
sites can ever work as positively as intended.”
 “Social networking sites are a bore, and I feel my time is better spent off
These sites.”
Rules and restrictions on social networking site use
Two-thirds of parents say they set rules about their child’s use of social
networking sites, although only 53% of children said that their parents set
such rules.
For many children, the rules and restrictions that their parents set on social networking use
were an important factor in the child‟s use of social networking sites. The majority of parents
we spoke to (65%) claimed to limit their child‟s use of social networking sites by setting rules
and restrictions. Despite this, significantly fewer children reported that their parents had set
rules on their use of social networking sites. Some of this difference may be due to parents
overstating, or to children underplaying the extent of parental control, or because restrictions
are not being recognized as such by children.
Opportunities for Social Networks
supporting and liberating vulnerable groups by providing them with a voice and by enabling access
to people with similar issues or challenges; an example being people suffering from chronic or
serious illnesses such coronary heart disease
organising for political action, legislative improvement and legal rights/protection
enabling minority groups to have a further means of organising and supporting each other, and

10. presenting themselves and their views to a wider society
linking to public and third sector services to provide a more collaborative approach by involving
citizens in the process; an example would be carers
supporting special interest groups; these could be existing groups such as one for local history or
those arising out of a particular social problem such as bullying at the local school
Barriers to Use
The main barriers to people engaging with social networks and potential solutions are listed below
Barrier Response
1. Perception of the Value Requires positive promotion of value and
of Joining a Social local encouragement. Highlighting of
Network effective use, sufficient content by public
sector.
2. Fear of losing Public information about the benefits and
information/identity, or pitfalls. Possibly some form of codes of
meeting the ‘wrong’ conduct that are self-accredited.
type of person
3. Lack of Access to Links to wider issues about home access, but
Technology in the needs to also ensure that there is wide as
appropriate place possible access in public/work places.
4. Lack of Local community based initiatives to guide
skills/confidence and support. ‘Social Network’ for non-users.
5. Intellectual Rejection Look for catalysts that can open the door.
Literature review of harm and offence in social networking
Most research regarding potential internet-related harm relates to risky contact rather than
content, primarily that involving interaction with other internet users. Indeed, this update
found a number of studies that addressed the risk of inappropriate contact (e.g. bullying - for
which more research exists than for the first review, and also online contact with strangers).
The research suggests that such contact may put users at risk of harm, either directly (as in
meeting strangers in dangerous situations) or indirectly, from the consequences of their
onlinebehavior.
 This leads to concerns about the possibility of underestimating the unanticipated
or future consequences of making private information public,

11.  Research suggests that young people may be aware of the risks, especially
regarding social networking sites, but this awareness of these issues and
problems is not always translated into action.
 Teens & Friends on Social Networking Sites
Key Findings
 Fully 85.2% of people use one or more social networking sites (SNSs). The extent of SNS use has
increased dramatically in the past two years
 SNS usage differs considerably by age. Almost all respondents 18 and 19 years old use SNSs (95.1%), and
Only 37.0% of those 30 years and older do so. The majority of 18- and 19-year-olds have more than 200
SNS friends; the majority of those aged 30 and older have 25 or fewer Unfriends.
 Facebook is the most commonly used SNS (89.3% of SNS users), with MySpace as second choice
(48.3% of SNS users). Traditional college-age respondents (18 to 24 years old) use Facebook more than
MySpace; older respondents use MySpace more than Facebook.
 About half of SNS users use just one SNS, have only one SNS profile, and participate in one to five groups
within SNSs. SNS profiles are fairly stable, with most respondents changing them monthly or less often
 The majority of SNS users (55.8%) spend 5 hours or less per week on SNSs, and 26.9% spend 6 to 10 hours
per week. Younger respondents report spending more time than older respondents.
 Most students (87.4%) put access restrictions on their profiles. Younger respondents and females are most
likely to do so. Respondents who are more concerned about privacy and security problems are also more
likely to restrict SNS access
 Less than one-third of SNS users report that they are very concerned or extremely concerned about misuse of
their information, security problems, cyber bullying or cyber stalking, or leaving a history that could cause
those problems. Females and older respondents are generally more concerned.
 Most Net Generation SNS users (18 to 24 years old) reveal the following information on their profiles: e-
mail address or instant messaging (IM) screen name, last name, and full date of birth. Younger respondents
are more likely to reveal personal information.