| ext">The Internet continues to connect people | | | | learning about potential employers and employees. |
| from all across the planet. The world is becoming | | | | The third most popular social networking site is |
| more connected as satellite Internet and DSL | | | | Twitter, with over 100 million current users. If |
| cable continues its march forward, brining high | | | | you’re like many Americans, you have |
| speed Internet to homes around the globe. | | | | heard of the name but have no idea what it |
| Currently 75% of all Americans are connected to | | | | offers. It’s best described as a social |
| the Internet. While that is the highest percentage | | | | network with microblogging capabilities. In other |
| for any country, European countries aren’t | | | | words, users can post tweets, texts of up |
| far behind, and Asian and South American | | | | to 140 characters, on their page, which is then |
| countries are quickly growing in that area as well. | | | | sent to all their contacts, called followers. |
| This means that cultural barriers will continue to | | | | Many users are followers of celebrities and other |
| fall as people come into contact with information | | | | famous people who daily update their tweets to |
| online and satellite Internet access continues to | | | | let their fans know what they are doing on a |
| grow. One of the more obvious people | | | | minute-by-minute basis. |
| connectors encouraged by the proliferation of the | | | | The second most popular social networking site is |
| Internet is social networking websites. They have | | | | MySpace. Recently the most popular such site, |
| grown in popularity all over the world. They | | | | MySpace is now relegated to number two, with |
| combine easy access to profiles from around the | | | | over 123 million unique users per month. It is also |
| world with an innate desire in mankind to be | | | | a free site, receiving its funding through mass |
| known and famous, creating sites that connect | | | | advertising. The biggest unique design feature of |
| people with a click of a button. The following are | | | | MySpace is the users’ capability to design |
| the five most popular social networking websites | | | | their own page. They can enter their own HTML |
| in the world. | | | | script describing themselves, customize the look |
| The fifth most popular social networking site is | | | | of their page, and pick music to play. In order to |
| Ning. Perhaps you have not heard of the website, | | | | stay competitive, it has recently begun to offer |
| but that has not prevented it from becoming one | | | | features more akin to Twitter and the number |
| of the most used social networking sites out | | | | one on the list. |
| there. That may soon change, however, as its | | | | The most popular social networking website in the |
| CEO recently announced that its free service | | | | world is Facebook, currently with over 250 million |
| portion will soon be suspended, leaving the free | | | | users and quickly growing. Originally offered to |
| service users to switch to the paid portion or quit | | | | university students, it is currently available to |
| Ning altogether. Ning gives its users the ability to | | | | anyone over the age of 13. You can add friends, |
| actually create their own social network. Ning acts | | | | send private messages, post status changes on |
| as the platform that provides the resources to | | | | your wall, and publicly comment on friends’ |
| make a network based on whatever common | | | | walls among several other key features. Like |
| theme the user desires, such as common | | | | Twitter and MySpace, it is completely free for its |
| interests, hobbies, jobs, or locations. Originally | | | | users. In 2009, Facebook offered a lite |
| offering free service, Ning would control the | | | | version for users with slower or intermittent |
| advertising. With the paid service, the user | | | | Internet connection. It only lasted for eight |
| controls the advertising and receives extra | | | | months. For users with regular or high speed |
| storage and bandwidth. | | | | Internet, the website works without any hitches. |
| The fourth most popular site is LinkedIn. This | | | | Satellite Internet users, therefore receive the full |
| social networking website is a geared to the | | | | offerings of Facebook that users around the |
| business professional. Available in six languages and | | | | world without high speed Internet cannot access. |
| over 200 countries, the website currently has | | | | The social networking website phenomenon of |
| nearly 70 million users. The site is focused on | | | | the 21st century does not look to be going |
| building business connections (the contacts made | | | | anywhere. New innovations will occur, but it looks |
| are called connections), which can be helpful | | | | as if the world has not even seen the beginning |
| in finding jobs, creating partnerships with others | | | | of social networking offered by the Internet. |
| for business startups, posting job openings, and | | | | |