dIn WHAT IS A SOCIAL NETWORK AND HOW DO USE IT Skype NETWORKING BY NATURE Social networks are important because they provide resources in the form of information relationships and community These combined resources are called social capital ENHANCING SOCIAL CAPITAL Research suggests that social networks enhance social capital They allow users to target people with shared interests Through social media we can establish and maintain relationships with people we might not normally come into contact with Communication is quick and we can talk to different people at once Before the Internet this type of communication was difficult especially between people who lived far apart PRACTICAL TECHNOLOGY People are social animals by nature so the idea of social networking is not new or unusual In a practical sense it helps people keep in touch with family and a wider circle of friends It might also provide quick access to information and ideas enabling users to write a better homework assignment or prepare for an important project for
Linke Skype NETWORKING BASICS logg REAL RELATIONSHIPS Some people argue that online social networks endanger real life relationships Ultimately this could threaten a person's overall social capital It is a good idea to maintain a balance between relationships with people online and in person I Using social networking sites can become a problem if it starts to interfere with your real
LinkedIn Skype WHAT IS A SOCIAL NETWORK AND HOW DOUSE ITY CIRCLE OF TIES Social networks consist of strong and weak ties Strong ties include family members and close friends A weak tie could be someone you met at summer camp a couple of years ago STRONG TIES Strong ties are hard to maintain because they take up time You need to stay in regular contact to maintain the close relationship I Social networking sites are great for keeping in touch with people but they are no substitute for spending real time with your
NETWORKING BASICS Blogger Social media is a useful way of maintaining strong ties This communication could be telling family and friends about an upcoming birthday party or keeping in touch with a relative who lives in a different country Strong ties take up a lot of time and energy so there is a limit to how many people you can be so close with at one time WEAK TIES Weak ties are limitless They can include almost anyone you have ever met from your dentist to someone you once met at a party Social media sites are an ideal way to keep in touch with people outside your close circle of family and friends EXPANDING HORIZONS Weak ties can become just as important as strong ties They allow people to expand their social network and find new friends This can lead to stronger connections and introduce you to ideas and opinions that you might not have otherwise encountered II
