Social Networking Service (SNS): A Detailed Overview In 2021

Introduction

A few years ago, whoever imagined that it would become so easy to build a social network where people all around the globe could connect so easily and that too with the least costs. Almost every person today has an identity to showcase, an idea to share, a thought to express, all through the medium of Social Networking Services. Globalization may have brought the world closer and made the globe a boundary-less place commercially. Similarly, the Social Networking Services (SNS) have eradicated the social boundaries. 

1. What is Social Networking Service (SNS)?
2. Understanding Social Networking Services (SNS)
3. Lists of Social Networking Sites
4. Disadvantages of SNS

1. What is Social Networking Service (SNS)?

A Social Networking service is an online platform developed for people to build social networks with other people who share similar personal interests, career goals, activities, or even real-life relationships. It is an internet-based service that requires the user to create a profile of his own. Such profiles contain their personal information along with the areas of interest.

However, every person may choose as to what must be included in the profile. Most people display stuff that makes them impressionable rather than stuff they actually like and admire. Users can also choose whom they wish to connect with and also manage their privacy settings as to how much they wish to reveal about their activities and to which sort of audience. Of-course, each SNS platform has its own methodology of functioning and operations, but its sole purpose is to build a network.

People all around the world can share photos, videos, audios, posts, ideas, events on Social Media Sites. 

A Social Networking Service (SNS) works on the following major basis:

• Internet-based applications
• User-generated content (UGC) forms the lifeline of the SNS mechanism
• Service-specific profiles are created by users
• Social networks are developed online by connecting user’s profiles with those of other individuals or groups.

Earlier, SNS had a major purpose of social connections among people. However, due to the advent of technology, ample developments have taken place in the way SNS is utilized by various classes of people.

1. People use SNS to connect to their loved ones online, in and around their lives. Be it friends, relatives, colleagues, family members. It has also enabled the development of new connections without having any prior information about the users at the other end.
2. Employers use Social media sites to fetch information about their potential candidates. Also, special groups are formed to share knowledge-related content either specific to their organization or in general.
3. Businesses are searching for potential customers, and Social Media is the best place they can fetch data about the interest of the consumers. Statistically, businesses have been ahead in analyzing the content on SNS to expand their business horizons and similarly use such data to gain more customers.
4. Investigative agencies use the data on SNS to find signals of crime or information of activities of the criminals or suspects.
5. Educators use SNS to spread knowledge and connect to their students.

2. Understanding Social Networking Services (SNS)

Users create profiles with their information which is of personal nature. Similarly, what they share, what they post, what they like, what they comment is all a source of data for these social networking sites. This data is captured and mined for further use by many business organizations for advertisement campaigns. These advertisements are suggested to the users as per their preferences observed, and accordingly, businesses grow. Also, SNS uses user data to suggest multiple connections on the Social media.

• Types of Social Networking Services

1. Profile-Based SNS
2. Content-based SNS
3. White-label SNS
4. Multi-user Virtual Environments
5. Social Search

3. Lists of Social Networking Sites

• Facebook
• WhatsApp
• QQ
• WeChat
• QZone
• Tumblr
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Skype
• Viber
• Line
• Snapchat
• Pinterest
• LinkedIn
• Telegram
• Reddit
• Foursquare
• Myspace
• YouTube
• Upstream
• Classmates
• Xing
• Friendster
• Buzznet
• Flickr
• Quora
• Tiktok
• WT Social
• Flip
• Vimeo
• Giphy

4. Disadvantages of SNS

• Behavioral science study has mixed opinions about the impact of Social media on human psychology. It is both positive and negative. Social consciousness has developed networks and personal bonds, but at the same time, it has also led to loneliness and depression.
• If permissions and privacy settings are not well sought after, then it can lead to leakage and misuse of data in many ways.
• Cyberbullying has complicated the life of social media users. Trolling has led to a lot of anxiety issues among youngsters. This has also posed a hindrance to the freedom of speech in a negative way.
• Social media is a free form of the communication channel, and this feature has also contributed to abusive communication political violence.

Conclusion

Social Networking Services (SNS), if used well, can do wonders for humanity, but if misused, they can also create issues. Excess use of Social Sites has created a wide online network, but at the same time, it has reduced the personal touch of people. It has created a delusionary world that only looks appealing but can have devastating impacts on coming generations if not used correctly.

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