Web-based social networking has been an “it” topic among web-savvy folks for years, but in general Lifehacker has shied away from social networking because it can easily become yet another time drain. But Facebook is now full of useful productivity apps, and even Google Reader is building heavy social aspects. In fact, more and more social networking sites have become a part of legitimate business use (for example, our publisher Gawker uses Facebook as a company directory). The extent to which social networks are productive or a time sink is debatable, but the fact is they’re pervasive and here to stay. So what we want to know is:
There’s a lot that can be considered social networking these days, but there are two obvious leaders-of-the-pack, so that’s what we’re going to focus on here.
Let’s hear why or why you don’t use social networking sites—along with any other related thoughts—in the comments.
Cameron
Wednesday, January 16, 2008 at 10:45 AMWhy I don’t buy into Social Networks
1. They are just the Angelfire and Geocities of the 2000′s, but they are still at web 1.5
2. Rubbish interfaces
3. I don’t need a friend of mine posting a picture of me being silly and hurting my career
4. Getting friended by people you don’t even know becuase they want to feel popular with loads of friends.
I can see if you are a band or a company I can see the marketing value in them.