In order to learn about online social networking, I clicked on the links included in the training exercises. There are many options for networking, including MySpace, Facebook, Ning, Yahoo!360, LinkedIn, Xanga, Rate My Space, MyOpera, Dogster, and more. Whatever you're interested in talking about, there seems to be a forum where you can meet cyberpeople (or even cyberanimals) of similar tastes. I liked some places more than others; my favorite was Rate My Space because the participants seemed to be mostly adult women, like me, who hope one day to have a beautiful, organized, clean, functional home, but actually have no idea how to go about creating one. There was very little drama there, or serious work; people were not trying to climb the corporate ladder or find support to deal with a life-threatening illness. It is merely a place to relax and share opinions about colors and home accessories. Some of the personal blogs on sites like Xanga and Facebook were interesting to read; it's understandable that these applications are popular among young people and students who want to stay in touch, meet new people, and share photos. I have to say I'm impressed by the creativity with which individuals promote themselves on these sites. Some are truely artistic. Then there's My Space...the perfect spot where already at-risk latch key children can find trouble, without having to leave the comfort of their own homes. The only reason I can think of for the popularity of MySpace with teenagers is that it's currently THE cool thang. They certainly make the MySpace im page THE most offensive thang.
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