Social networking is the grouping of individuals into specific groups, such as small communities or neighborhood subdivisions. Although social networking is possible in person, especially in the workplace, colleges and high schools, it is very popular online because, unlike most high schools, colleges or workplaces, the Internet is filled with millions of people looking to meet other people, gather and share information and first-hand experiences about cooking, golf, gardening, develop friendships, professional alliances, find jobs and business-to-business marketing. When it comes to online social networking, websites are commonly used. These websites are known as social sites. A very well-known online site is Facebook. This social networking site has online community members who share common interests in hobbies, religion, politics and alternative lifestyles. Once you gain access to a social networking site, you can start socializing. This socializing may include reading other members' profile pages and possibly even contacting them. The friends you can make are just one of the many benefits of online networking. Another of these benefits includes diversity because the Internet offers people all over the world access to social networking sites. This means that even if you are in the United States, you could develop an online friendship with someone in Denmark or India. Not only will you make new friends, but you might also learn a thing or two about new cultures or new languages, and learning is easy. always a good thing. As mentioned, social networks often involve grouping specific individuals or organizations together... ... middle of paper ...... provide: Do not post information that could be used by third parties, such as your address (home, school or workplace), date of birth, zip code, job title, or information about your schedule or routine. - Always read and understand privacy policies. Some sites may share information such as email addresses or user preferences with other companies. This may result in an increase in spam and unwanted emails. Remember that the Internet is a public resource, so consider how others may view the information you provide. Once you are well informed and comfortable with the results, you can begin searching through hundreds of social networking communities to join. This can easily be done by performing a standard Internet search. Your search will likely return a variety of results, including MySpace, FriendWise, FriendFinder, Yahoo! 360, Facebook, Orkut and classmates.