HOW ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKING IS CHANGING THE SOCIAL VALUE SYSTEM

Acknowledgement

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At this point, I would like to thank to our Course Lecturer, Abureza Mohammad Muzareba, without cooperation that would have been a lot harder. Here I want to express our gratitude to our Course Instructor Abureza Mohammad Muzareba, who had given support us in all possible ways and directed, guided me properly in completing our report. His continuous support and re-enforcement has encouraged me to do the term paper.

Table of Contents

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What is Social Networks………………………………………..…………..………...….………05

The History of Social Networks……………………………………………………...………….05

Structure of Social Networks………………………………………..……….…………..………06

Development of Social Networks…………………………………...…….……………..………06

Online Social Networks: Changing Value System of Bangladesh……………………...………07

Major Changes Are Mentioned …………………………………………………….……07

Cultural Effects…………………………………………………………..………08

Living in Modern Life……………………………………………...……………08

The Way of Thinking Changing…………………………………………………08

Advantages of Online Social Networking Sites…………………….……………………………09

Disadvantages of Online Social Networking Sites……………….………...……………………10

Conclusion………………………………………………………….……………………………11

What Is The Social Networks?

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Social networking is the grouping of individuals into specific groups, like small rural communities or a neighborhood subdivision. Although social networking is possible in person, especially in the workplace, universities, and high schools, it is most popular online. This is because unlike most high schools, colleges, or workplaces, the internet is filled with millions of individuals who are looking to meet other people, to gather and share first-hand information and experiences about any number of topics from golfing, gardening, developing friendships and professional alliances and so on things.

Social Networking has become very popular during the past few years, but it can still be very difficult to understand for someone new to social networking. The open-ended nature of social networks add to this. Once signed onto a social network, having answered a few basic profile questions, it is easy to sit back and wonder what we are supposed to do next.

The easiest way to understand social networking is to think of it like high school. We had friends in school, and we knew quite a few people even if we weren't friends with all of them, but it's likely that we didn't know everyone.

If we ever moved to a new school -- or if we can imagine moving to a new school -- we start out with no friends. After attending classes, we start meeting people, and as you meet them, you begin associating with those that have similar interests.

Getting started with social networking is much the same as starting at a new school. At first, we don't have any friends. But as you join groups, we begin to meet people, and we build a friends list of those with similar interests.

The History of Social Networks

People want to make the connection between them with their friends, so they can keep in touch with their friends through the Internet. That is the first idea of Social Network development, an electrically linked for everyone. From the idea of Social Network development, in 1995, an early Social Network was boomed, Classmates. This was created to connect the students in school, or class, so the early users of this site ware only the students or teenagers.

In 1997, another Social Network site was released (SixDegree.com); the users of this site could edit their profiles, and create a friend-list from their own sites. The users also possibility sent a message to their friends, and make friends with the strange people from the site. Lately, many Social Networks have developed and released Cyworld (2001), Friendster (2002), Skyblog (2002), these Network Sites have developed from deferent places around the world, UK, United State and Canada, were three main places for Social Networks developed. From the (figure 1), Social Networks were developed very strongly from 2003 to 2006, for example, Myspace, Orkut, Yahoo 360, and Facebook were the popular Networking Sites until now. Myspace and Facebook have more than 300 million of users nowadays (from the nytimes.com)

Structure of Social Networks

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Social networking is based on a certain structure that allow people to both express their individuality and meet people with similar interests. This structure includes having profiles, friends, blog posts, widgets, and usually something unique to that particular social networking website -- such as the ability to 'poke' people on Facebook, Hi5 and MySpace.

Profile: This is where user can tell the world about himself/herself. Profiles contain basic information, like where user live and how old he or she is, and personality questions, like who's his/her favorite actor and what's his/her favorite book. Social networks dedicated to a special theme like music or movies might ask questions related to that theme.

Friends: Friends are trusted members of the site that are allowed to post comments on others profile or send private messages to his/her friends. User can also keep tabs on how his/her friends are using social networking, such as when they post a new picture or update their profile. Friends are the heart and soul of social networking. It should be noted that not all social networks refer to them as 'friends' -- LinkedIn refers to them as 'connections -- but all social networks have a way to designate members as trusted.

Groups: Most social networks use groups to help you find people with similar interests or engage in discussions on certain topics. A group can be anything from "Daffodil International University 2006" to "Students of Daffodil International University" to "Bangladeshi Peoples Networks" – something like that. They are both a way to connect with like-minded people and a way to identify your interests. Sometimes, groups are called by other names, such as the 'Networks' on Facebook.

Discussions: A primary focus of groups is to create interaction between users in the form of discussions. Most social networking websites support discussion boards for the groups, and many also allow members of the group to post pictures, music, video clips, and other tidbits related to the group.

Blogs: Another feature of some social networks is the ability to create his/her own blog entries. While not as feature-rich as blog hosts like Wordpress or Blogger, blogging through a social network is perfect for keeping people informed on what we are up to.

Widgets: A popular way of letting user’s personality shine through is by gracing the social networking profile with web widgets. Many social networks allow a variety of widgets, and user can usually find interesting widgets located on widget galleries.

Development of Social Networks

At the time, Myspace and Facebook have released, they have become be very popular with young users; and now, those Networking Sites are continuing to develop, they get much users than any other Social Networking Sites got before. We see Networking Sites are rising very rapidly, and broadly nowadays. These sites are trying to find the best way to make their websites easily to use and safely.

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A large online community use the Networking site as a place for studying, sharing the information and knowledge. And a main important thing make Social Networking is so popular now, I think, that is a good connection that help connect people together.

Online Social Networks: Changing Value System of Bangladesh

A value system is a set of consistent ethic values (more specifically the personal and cultural values) and measures used for the purpose of ethical or ideological integrity. A well defined value system is a moral code. One or more people can hold a value system. Likewise, a value system can apply to either one person or many. A personal value system is held by and applied to one individual only. A communal or cultural value system is held by and applied to a community/group/society. Some communal value systems are reflected in the form of legal codes or law.

When the matter is online social networks, in fact, affects every individual in our social, the different people use social networks with different ways, someone want to use networking sites for keeping in touch with their friends, other one use the sites for studying for finding the information, or maybe someone want to use it to find friends from the Internet and on the other hand, someone trying to build networks for professional purpose and lastly some people only wasting their money and value-able time on online social networks. Whatever they use social networking in their own way, the social networking will affects to themselves, especially, changing the value of cultures, living style, and their thinking.

Major Changes Are Mentioned

1. Before people using mobile phone for direct communication, now it’s changed and people using social networks for fastest communication with real-time.

2. People using less mobile phone and a big percentage only communicating in between them through social networks.

3. To get some in real-time, normally people used to with instant messenger and now people start to using web based instant messenger and of-course communication through social networks.

4. Before people searching Google to get information, now people searching specific groups or networks to get more information from social networks or social groups.

5. To get in touch via mobile phone or contacts – it’s not more, people start to sharing their present status “what he/she is doing” – just one click away and other friend let’s notified what his/her friends doing and where.

6. List of contacts and name, photos, videos, widgets, comments – that’s not all, friends getting access to see other friends profiles.

7. One way communication has changed, now person A and B are friend and C also friend of A & B. So, each other can connected together and share their thoughts or anything through the social networks.

8. The mailing features extended social networks more, all of friends connected through the social networks – so easy to contact with friends to electronic mail.

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9. For specific purpose, people start to using social networks and inviting other friends and informing others that any events or programs going to happen – if any friends feels interested then both can join or enjoy that events.

10. Books, business, flower, music – lots of options created through social networks and people using and engaging themselves with their favorite books, business, flowers, music. Whatever the matters, the interested people staying together and sharing the experiences and that generates vast amount of knowledge.

11. To organize a functions and knocking to every friends about upcoming events that’s bit tough and expensive -- where people using online social networks and every friends will be automatically notified about the upcoming functions – so they can join the functions.

Cultural Effects

Cultures from the countries around the world are very, very vast. Connecting to social network, it means we can access to study the cultures from the other countries, we understanding about other countries cultures and we accepting some of them and rejecting some of them. The development of cultures, by using the social networking we can say “The more you contact the much you know”, and I think we will learn more things from the social value change.

However, the culture could be developed with positive or negative way; that is belonged to us; the way that we use social networks. But I suggest that, social network is a ideal place for everyone want to find the cultures from the other places.

Living in Modern Life

Some of my friends said that, they don’t have much time to meet their friends regularly, and they need to keep in touch with their friend to remain the relationship. I need to send a message, or just say hello from the networking sites, that is a good way to keep your friends close to. Moreover, we are living in a modern life, everyone has to busy for his or her jobs, “time” is a problem with them. So that’s why, they usually use social networks as a place for them and their friends talk together. The structure of networking sites allow users can make new friends, and update information from their friends whenever they get some news such as entries, status, and so on.

The Way of Thinking Changing

Social networks have changed the traditional friend relationship; in the past, we need to meet someone and say hello to him/her, but now we just need to say hello by send a message from the online social networks. Social networks are also a place for sharing information and knowledge together. People who are the users of social networks can study much from their own sites. The cultures, the knowledge, and the interesting are the things with the highest care in social networks.

Advantages of Online Social Networking Sites

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Social networking sites have become increasingly popular. Here we examine why small businesses should take advantage of social networking sites to benefit the company.

Many businesses have recently become aware of the need for an online presence to attract new and web-savvy customers. Sites such as MySpace and Facebook can be potentially advantageous marketing tools for a local business. MySpace, for example, is a place where a small business and some business are really worked out and growing and generate six figure revenue yearly.

A few reasons that attest to the benefits of social networking include:

Free CommunicationOn MySpace, you only need a valid e-mail address to become a member and create a profile page. While most traditional advertising and marketing efforts require some sort of funding, an average social networking site requires no annual fees or start-up costs.

Simple Set-upA profile can be created with very little time and effort. For the less Web-savvy individual, most sites provide straightforward instructions and a general template to make page-construction simple.

Easy CustomizationWith online instruction, it is easy to customize a profile page to fit the image of your business. Many sites are dedicated to providing an endless variety of backgrounds and clip art for social networking sites. Such options are accompanied with a code already incorporated into the editing section of the profile page. No extra work is needed on your part.

Maintenance is FlexibleAfter the profile is created, you decide how often you update the content. It doesn't demand constant attention; it only requires as much as you are willing to put into it. Many enthusiastic social networkers enjoy constantly updating the look or information posted on their site. This helps to maintain interest in new information about your business.

Conveys Information about the BusinessMany sites allow you to post bulletins or blogs for friends (people who have requested to connect with you on your site). This gives businesses a chance to advertise weekly specials, sales, or new products/services. For many, the Web is one of the first places they visit to search for information. Having an online presence helps ensure your business will be one of the first they come across in a search.

Buzz GenerationWhen someone adds a business profile as a "friend," the profile appears in that person's friends list. This means other people will see, and perhaps visit, the profile; thus increasing awareness about the business.

Allows for Customer FeedbackSocial networking sites serve as an outlet for where a company can really explore possibilities of reaching out to the customer and ask for feedback. Entertainment

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venues or restaurants may ask connected customers to post pictures and comments about their experiences. ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff

Disadvantages of Online Social Networking Sites

We are living in a world filled with the social media craze. From Facebook to Twitter, the world has embraced the new tools that help thousands interact each day no matter where they are. There are so many merits that come with social media and this is undeniable. However, what many forget are the down sides. All good things will have flaws and the following are insights into the disadvantages of social media. Statistics have shown that young people form the bulk of the fan base when it comes to social media outlets. However, those who are in all kinds of businesses are also avid users to further their cause. The following are some of the top cons that business people have to face when they employ the services of different social media.

The first disadvantage to speak about can also be an advantage. I'm talking about the viral potential of the media. In other words, when you have some news or item to share with an audience, it can spread like bushfire all around the world. When this news is negative or in bad taste, the same will happen. This is where the disadvantage comes in. It is hard to undertake damage control when you are dealing with social media and your good name might be soiled within hours.

Another one of the top disadvantages worth a mention is the need for intensive labor. If you intend to build a brand and a name through social media, you must be ready to spend time updating your audience on all the relevant issues. Once you become established, you will tend to have a bigger crowd and it can be difficult to meet the needs of all people increasing you labor greatly. However, to remedy this, you can put in place a networking campaign that is manageable and grow gradually.

Another thing to mention is that you must be ready to connect with your audience at all time. According to experts the law of reciprocity will apply. In other words, you need to give and take. If you have updated helpful information on a network, a person who is interested might respond and it is upon you to reply their queries and satisfy their curiosity. This is the essence of social media and if not done properly, your audience might loose faith in you. There are people who evade this and other disadvantages of social media by establishing themselves are entities that give updates that are promotional in nature. This way, the audience will take and run with what they have.

Finally on the disadvantages, you will be required to stay abreast with all upcoming sites and be ready to make the necessary change. If you are not adaptive, then you might be in trouble because social media in nature will change constantly. You need to keep in touch with all the latest in this industry because this is the sure way to safeguard the interests of your business. Remember, social networking for business gain will help you move to heights you have not been to before. Therefore, know the pitfalls discussed above and steer clear of them if you are to win in this game.

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Conclusion

We should use social networks as a place for not only sharing interesting and feelings but also for discussing about innovative things, generative idea for the development of country and as well share the knowledge, increasing countries productivity by social concerns and responsibilities. Social networks are now developing very steady, the users of Social networks are up to millions, and it will get up more. So we need to develop Social network in the positive way. Large community is a best advantage for Social networks develop more strongly and more in the future.

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