Social networking services allow people to connect through shared interests and networks online. Most are web-based and let users interact through features like messaging and posting photos. Popular early sites included Orkut and Facebook, while newer options include Twitter, Google+, and Skype for messaging and video calls. Social networking provides benefits like staying in touch with others at low cost, but also risks like overuse of time and potential misuse of personal information.

1. SOCIAL NETWORKING By : Bhawna Kalra Mohit Khurana

2. What is SOCIAL NETWORKING ? A social networking service is an online service, or website that focuses on building and reflecting of social relations among people. These people are connected through same interest or networks.

3. Most social network services are web-based and provide means for users to interact over the Internet, such as e-mail and instant messaging. The use of a dedicated Web site to communicate informally with other members of the site, by posting messages, photographs, etc.

4. How it all started ? Many social networking websites were launched in the 1990s . In India, ORKUT was the first social networking website that actually attracted users towards the idea of building up their social networks. Orkut was followed by MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and now Google+

5. Different Social Networking services : Social networking can be done mainly in 3 ways : Social Networking Websites Instant Messaging Services Video Calling

6. Social Networking Websites A Website that enables users to create public profiles within that Web site. Used to form relationships with other users of the same Web site who access their profile. Orkut, Facebook, MySpace, Google+ and Twitter.

7. Instant Messaging Services The exchange of typed messages between computer users in real time via the Internet. Now available as a feature in most of the Social Networking websites like Facebook, Google+ etc. Independent Instant Messaging Services are Yahoo Messanger, Gtalk, MSN messanger, Meebo etc.

8. Video Conferencing Communication between two people at different sites by using computer networks to transmit audio and video data. A webcam and a microphone are required. Skype, Yahoo Messanger , LotusLive are some of the common Video Conferencing Platforms .

9. Orkut is a Social Networking Website launched in 2004, owned and operated by Google Inc. One of the most visited websites in India and Brazil. Named after its creator, Google employee Orkut Buyukkokten.

10. Allows user to make a profile on the website and add people as friends. Users share Videos, pictures, polls to be viewed and participated in by their friends and other users.

11. Social Networking website owned by Specific Media LLC and popstar Justin Timberlake. Launched in August 2003 and had 33.1 million visitors in August 2011. Not much popular in India.

12. Faced stiff competition from Facebook. Value decreased from $580 million in 2005 to $35 million in 2011.

13. Biggest revolution in the world of Social Networking. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with his college roommates Eduardo Saverin , Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes. Facebook has more than 800 million active users. It is the largest social network in the world.

14. Users must register before using the site, after which they can: create a personal profile, add other users as friends, exchange messages, including automatic notifications when they update their profile. “ Are you on Facebook ?” is the new “May I have your phone number?” among youngsters now.

15. Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service. Created by Jack Dolsey and launched in 2006. Enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".

16. Users can follow other people based on their interests. The username is informally referred to as “handle.” It is a rapid mode of communication, has 200 million users. Sometimes described as “SMS of the Internet.”

17. Google Inc.’s new baby in the social networking world after ORKUT started losing its sheen with Facebook gaining much more popularity. Launched in august 2011 in an “invite only” testing phase. Became hugely popular, with 40 million users within one month of being launched.

18. Users can add fellow users in their circles and interact with them. Google+ has a "+1 button“ on the same grounds as of Facebook’s “Like” button. Users can add pictures and edit them on the website itself.

19. Owned by Yahoo Inc. and allows users to send instant messages to other users. Both the sender and the receiver must have a Yahoo Email Id and Yahoo messenger software installed on their respective systems. Allows file transfer and photo sharing.

20. Most popular way of allowing users to make voice and video calls and chat over the Internet. Skype has 663 million registered users as of September 2011. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free

21. Pros of Social Networking Helps keeping in Touch with friends, family. Get Feedback on ideas immediately. Free of cost. Reach easily to a large group of people for a shoutout on important topics. Easily find people with common interests and connect with them.

22. Cons of Social Networking Lack of Anonymity Time Consuming People can stalk you and misuse your personal details. Can disturb your real social life