The Social Web
By: Kelly Johnston
INF 103
Professor Janmei
Feb. 21, 2011
It’s no secret that websites like Facebook, MySpace, and e-harmony are popular. What this paper will explore is why, and what are the concerns involved with joining these cyber communities. I personally think that overall, the social web is quite an asset. People just need to educate themselves and use good judgment.
WordNet, which is an electronic lexical database researched and developed at Princeton University, defines society as:
* S: (n) society (an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization)
* S: (n) club, social club, society, guild, gild, lodge, order (a formal association of people with similar interests) "he joined a golf club"; "they formed a small lunch society"; "men from the fraternal order will staff the soup kitchen today"
* S: (n) company, companionship, fellowship, society (the state of being with someone) "he missed their company"; "he enjoyed the society of his friends"
Dictionary.com defines a social network as: a website where one connects with those sharing personal or professional interests, place of origin, education at a particular school, etc.
The Social Web began with the Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) even before the internet. These were centralized systems which were contacted by members of the BBS. These members could post messages to each other, download shared files, or play games. The internet did however make things much faster, easier and more efficient.
The Social Web has brought many new opportunities to the world as a whole. People can now stay in touch with friends and family much easier. It has enabled us to be involved in the lives of our loved ones in real time, no matter how far apart we may be geographically. It has also made it easier to meet people of like interests, allowed companies to create a...