Social Networking on the Internet: The New Way to Make Friends and Have Fun
Susan Ayers Walker
SmartSilvers Alliance
ant to know which South Florida nightclubs have a senior-friendly reputation? A member of the social networking site Eons recently put together a list. Meanwhile, several AARP networkers shared opinions about dentists in Los Angeles. And would you like to meet some nearby singles in your age group? Members of the Gather social networking site regularly swap information on the subject.These are a few of the thousands of ways that seniors are exchanging information, making new friends and keeping up with older friends on the Internet’s social networking sites.Networking sites, such as Facebook and MySpace, sprang up several years ago, largely for Web-savvy young people. Today, there’s a growing number of social networks specifically for adults who are interested in travel, health, dating, politics, second careers, movies and hundreds of other subjects.
How they work: Social networking sites typically ask you to create a profile about yourself that includes basic information, such as the city where you live, your hobbies and other interests, as well as a network nickname by which members can refer to you. Members usually include pictures in their profiles. There’s rarely a charge to join a network, but most sites have lots of advertising.
Once you register on a social networking site, you can search for people with similar interests, location or hobbies. You can get in touch with other members by posting a message on a person’s profile, or by joining a discussion group. Only the site has your real e-mail address unless you give it to another member -- which you may want to do after developing a trusting relationship. Social networking sites usually have blogs that let users post comments, exchange views and ask for advice on a wide variety of subjects.
Examples: One member of a networking site recently asked for information on jobs for seniors in the Chicago area. Another wanted advice on repairing a wooden sailboat, and many more were still exchanging views on the November election.
SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES
Some of the best social networking sites for adults...
Eons (www.eons.com) is a social network for older adults interested in leading healthy and fulfilling lives. One of the most popular features of the site is the Longevity Calculator, which asks a series of health-related questions and then estimates your life expectancy. Among the popular social groups at Eons are those that discuss spirituality, pop music and saving money.AARP Online Community (www.aarp.org/onlinecommunity) is a new feature of the country’s largest organization for seniors and is growing strong. As it grows, the social network will connect more and more adults interested in such subjects as entertainment, education, health, careers, sports and volunteering. You don’t have to be an AARP member to take part in its social networking.Gather (www.gather.com) is a social network with an especially large number of interest groups, including those for adults interested in horror movies, baking bread or writing poetry. When members use Gather, they build up credits that can be redeemed at retailers such as Amazon.com, the Gap, Starbucks and Target.SPECIAL INTERESTS
Many social networking sites are now aimed at people with specific interests...
Literature. At Goodreads (www.goodreads.com), you can network with people who love to read books and want to exchange information about authors, best sellers and publishing industry events.Women’s issues. iVillage Connect (http://connect.ivillage.com) is one of the few social networking sites devoted solely to women, covering a wide range of topics from health, careers and relationships to shopping and style.Careers. Of the many sites for career-minded networkers, LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) is one of the most popular. Members exchange information about career interests and skill sets, post their résumés and invite people they have met in business to join their online network of business colleagues. Your network expands as you are introduced to other businesspeople -- a bit like exchanging business cards, except it is done online in this network. Personal finance. ValueForum (www.valueforum.com) is one of a growing number of specialized networking sites that charge for membership. For about $21 a month, members exchange information about their personal experiences with a wide variety of timely investments, including municipal bonds, energy-related stocks, real estate, foreign equities and gold.Language learners. LiveMocha (www.livemocha.com) is a network for language learners, allowing them to connect with native speakers throughout the world. LiveMocha supports learners of English, French, German, Hindi, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish and is expected to add more languages. To find other social networks on the Web, enter "social networking" into Google or another search engine. To find a site for people with a specific interest, add the name of that interest in the search box. Example: "Social networking cooking."
SMART NETWORKING
With so many social networking sites available, it’s difficult to choose the ones that are right for you... and then to use them to your best advantage.
Visit one or two networks frequently for about a month to decide whether you’re connecting with like-minded people. If the site is not for you, remove your profile by deleting all the information you provided, including pictures.
But if you do like the site, be sure your profile includes a picture, either of yourself or something that represents your hobby. If you don’t, the profile won’t attract many interested networkers.
Be cautious about giving out your phone number, street address, real e-mail address or other personal information. Though the majority of networkers are honest, a few disreputable people always sneak in, sometimes to sell you a product or lobby a point of view that doesn’t interest you.
It’s usually best to remain online friends with a fellow networker unless the person can provide references that you can check (mutual friend, church or club affiliations).
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