Social networking describes the process of connecting individuals via friends, relatives, and acquaintances--a person's "personal network." These networks can then branch out and allow friends to connect with people inside their accepted social circle, allowing for a perceived greater sense of security, compared to someone perceived as being anonymous and random.
Social networking emerged as a phenomenon in 2003, allowing the newly-populous Internet to serve as both a buffer and a safety net for introduction to friends by friends once possible only in person. This type of social interaction on the Internet is a logical extension of the blog and Instant Messaging phenomena: blogs allow for a more community of personal inquiry and thought while IM systems allow for only accepted users to chat. There are hybrids, however, such as the concept of FriendBlogs, which combines social networking with blogging." (Wikipedia)
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