Ketchup!: social networking sites Killed the Private Life !!??

A social network service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people

Social Networking is Ironical in it’s name because it doesn’t bring people closer but creates big gaps in relationships with people who really matter the most in our life

Although some of the largest social networks were founded on the notion of digitizing real world connections, many networks focus on categories from books and music to non-profit business as ways to provide both services and community to individuals with shared interests.

Often these days when we make new friends we do not ask, "What's your number?" Or "What's your email id?" Instead we ask, "What's your MySpace"? or "Are you on Orkut?" Such is the impact of these sites on our lives .The way we speak, the way we interact and the way we think is changing. Words such as scrapping, blogging, teasers,---which a few years back wouldn't have made any sense to anybody; but today it's being used with so much spontaneity.As a matter of fact, Google even has links to sites, which gives the world's most popular acronyms. In a span of 10 years the user base expanded over 10000 fold.It is amusing how quickly Social networking evolved but that is the way it is. It is a known fact that companies and renowned Individuals use social networking to expand their fan base

However, these sites fulfill a very basic criterion of humans. It is that of communication. People living in extreme corners of the world are seen to be getting married, friends from far-off places are able to keep in touch with each other and lovers from two parts of the world stay connected with each other's emotional needs. These help us make new friends, stay in touch with the old ones and let us know more about the persons we care... their likes, dislikes, interests and emotions.

As the increase in popularity of social networking is on a constant rise, new uses for the technology are constantly being observed.At the forefront of emerging trends in social networking sites is the concept of "real-time web" and "location based".Twitter set the trend for "real time" services, where users can broadcast to the world what they are doing, or what is on their minds within a 140 character limit. Facebook followed suit with their "Live Feed" where users' activities are streamed as soon as it happens.

Privacy has become a very integral area in the evolution of social networking.Young people share the most intimate details of personal life on social-networking web sites, such as MySpace and Facebook, portending a realignment of the public and the private.

"Words can't describe me", is how Adnan Patrawala, 16 yr old teenager from Mumbai, India had described himself on his Orkut profile. However, his kidnappers and murderers got to know a little more of him and ensnared him into a trap which ultimately led to the death of the young boy. This is perhaps an extreme example of the impact of these social networking sites such as Orkut, Facebook, MySpace and Friendster on today's youth.

There is an element of addictiveness in these sites and the youth are indeed getting endeared more and more into this addiction. The most appealing thing among these sites is that they provide a platform for the individuals to express their views, gives them the freedom of choice and expression... from anti-war campaigns to global warming issues, from Harry potter fan clubs to Osama bin Laden hate clubs... there is everything for everyone to share and speak about.What else could be more appealing than the thought of being heard not just by your group of friends but to the whole wide world. And that is the reason these sites are here to stay. It just emphasizes the fact that man is a social being and shall always remain so.