Social networks are often described as points where individuals, groups or clusters of people are drawn together by interest, for a perceived benefit or simply to exchange information.

Social networking extends into the online environment where individuals, professional groups, organisations, institutions, business representatives and even law enforcement agencies interact and exchange information.This exchange is often facilitated by a host organisation at little or no cost to the user.

 

Essentially, any online website that brings people together could be described as a social networking website - a meeting ground to socialise, find others with similar interests and to network knowledge.

According to Wikipedia ( 10 April 2007 ) "....Research in a number of academic fields has shown that social networks operate on many levels, from families up to the level of nations, and play a critical role in determining the way problems are solved, organizations are run, and the degree to which individuals succeed in achieving their goals."