Facebook: Social Networking for Anyone

Until recently, the common internet users that belonged to social networks were between the ages of 12 and 24. Within the past year or two, there has been a substantial growth in social network users that are over the age of 40.

Considering the fact that the population of retirees is growing, this age demographic is probably one of the segments that is exhibiting the most growth in new internet users.It is predicted that in 2011 the total U.S. adult social networking audience will grow to more than 85 million which is 49 percent of the U.S. adult internet population.

Users of sites like Facebook and Myspace should be extremely cautious when releasing information to their public profile. People do not realize that spam marketers, scam artists, online predators, governmental agencies, school officials and potential employers could easily gain access to this personal information.

Additionally, you may encounter various amounts of shockingly crude language, pictures and videos when viewing these different social sites. Because of this, a lot of social network users are not using the site to share stuff with their family members.

Presently, for every four internet users, one belongs to a social network. Some of the possible reasons why 75 percent of internet users have not joined is because of the following reasons: they think social networking is just for teenagers and young adults; it is unsafe in regards to their personal information; only people that join are those looking for someone to date; it is too complicated and they do not understand how it works and some have been offended by the language, videos and pictures.

If you are looking for a social networking site that addresses some of these concerns and is safe for your friends and family, then you should check out www.facebook.com.

Facebook started as a network solely for college students, but has grown to allow anyone to join. As far as privacy goes, you can easily block certain members or simply set your profile to private. You can even only allow certain friends or family to view your videos and pictures, as well as hide personal information. This is great for those concerned that employers will end up viewing their various embarrassing party photos.

This website also includes various fun applications and even a web-based chat. Don't worry, you can only chat with friends you have accepted so it isn't like AOL Instant Messenger.

Facebook is very user friendly for those of you new to social networking sites. The members have their own account pages, which serve as personalized control panels, where users can manage all aspects of their account. You can easily create various video or photo albums, send private messages, write note announcements, join groups, add new applications, and edit your profile information.

Facebook provides a connection with friends and family for anyone wanting to participate, no matter the age. I encourage anyone to join and reap the benefits of connecting with others.