| I vil c ya l8r...nice to meet ya...long time no c...wr | | | | click away with such immensely popular social |
| the heck hv u bin.... | | | | networking portals. Indeed, the world has shrunk |
| This cool lingo being spoken (read scribbled) by | | | | into a small place. The netizens fix the virtual |
| every other wannabe is the new way to be | | | | appointments on the net, make new friends, join |
| spotted amongst hip-hop bunch of dudes and | | | | communities, and share their opinions. It has |
| dudettes. Orkut, Friendster, Hi5, Facebook, and | | | | become the hottest and ultimate destination to fall |
| MySpace-do these names sound familiar to you? | | | | in love across barriers and to create life-long ties. |
| These are examples of social networking sites. | | | | These social networking sites offers you a world |
| Such sites allow people to make new friends, | | | | of fantasies and reality bites packed spruced up |
| send messages, share photos, etc. In recent | | | | to your tastes. |
| times, these sites have become very popular | | | | But along haunts the age-old hearsay, every coin |
| amongst old and young alike the world over. | | | | has two sides to it. Technology has its own boons |
| Rather than going out in the sun, they would | | | | and horrifying tales to dictate. Like every other |
| happily dole out a couple of hours gawking on the | | | | technological gizmos, social networking sites too |
| computer screens and chatting with the friends | | | | demands a dose of alertness on the part of the |
| and the strangers alike. Most of the people count | | | | users. There is no dearth of people who use such |
| heavily on the social networking sites as a mere | | | | portals with fake identities. People from the four |
| connection that binds them to the world. When | | | | corners of the world can view social networking |
| the society is undergoing transformation with | | | | sites like Orkut, MySpace and Facebook and a bit |
| every passing moment, it is more then inevitable | | | | of carelessness with the photos and the |
| that our routines and customs are too affected | | | | information you post can land you in deep waters. |
| by the winds of change. The beginning of this | | | | Although, you can seek like-minded individuals and |
| millennium has been witnessing major technological | | | | catch up with your online buddies but you need to |
| advancements and that tiny mobile phone tucked | | | | be well aware of the potential danger of revealing |
| in your hand is the beau ideal. | | | | too much information on your profile. |
| With the social networking sites like Orkut, | | | | Also keep away from the hatred communities |
| Facebook, AOL becoming the staple of the young | | | | doing the rounds on such portals. Always bear in |
| breed, socialization has altogether assumed a new | | | | mind that the entertainment should have a |
| meaning. Be it a school going chirpy kid or a | | | | constructive element rather than proving to be |
| professional, everybody counts upon these social | | | | lump in your thought process. If you are |
| networking sites to meet their social needs. Only | | | | outrageously taken with these portals, don't |
| few years' back, you would have gladly counted | | | | throw caution to the winds and follow everything |
| reading, playing, and dancing as one of the | | | | blindly. The cyber crime is at an all time high and |
| favorite pastimes. Don't retreat to that distant | | | | such criminals are always on the lookout for an |
| heaven if one of these days, someone proudly | | | | easily entrapped scapegoat and you can be the |
| announces orkutting to be his/hers. This is the | | | | possible victim. Next time you give out the |
| new buzzword that has completely changed the | | | | personal details on a network, ensure the right |
| face of socialization for all times to come. | | | | identity of the other person. Remember, |
| Earlier people dropped at eachother's place out of | | | | sometimes trusting a stranger can be life |
| social courtesy and to spend some quality time | | | | threatening. A bit of extra care will make your |
| among their peers. With the recent | | | | virtual world safe from the possible perils of the |
| metamorphosis in the social fabric and means of | | | | criminal's treacherous plots. |
| reaching out, all your near n dear ones are just a | | | | All rights reserved. |