Major types of social networks

Some “social networks” on the Internet gather friends from the real life. Others help to create a circle of friends, to find business partners, employment or other. This social networking services are provided by MySpace, Facebook, SoundMeet.net, Twitter, Identi.ca, Mupiz, Viadeo, Instagram, LinkedIn, The_Changebook, Blupps, Weebluzz or Pheed, Pinterest, Skype, Viber or Whats Up.

Other social networks are focused on discovering and sharing content, such as StumbleUpon or Reddit for web pages, or Pinterest and 500px for photographs.

Some may even be considered as super-agendas combining techno and real life which can be scheduled and organized a “public” or “private” mode schedule between all members, as Doodle or KiSort.

The latter type of growing network combines into 4 parts:

1. Organization of “public” or “private” events by its members
2. Each member can comment, inquire and announce its participation or not
3. Registered participate together in the event (Part real-life concept)
4. Comment, share emotions and feedback on the event which was attended

More and more private social networks are created on the net. They are sort of “private” clubs for seniors, singles and families but also to many public persons often selected by personal interests assumption based on homophily principle. Thus, some political parties are creating their own social network. Artists also engage in creating their own social networks. Cultural social networks also emerge. Senior executives also have their own community website. There are also social networking on social economy. Thus, these networks specialize and occupy specific niches.

Beyond this new way of “sourcing”, useful for HR recruitment missions, social networks gradually start investing organizations in the form of corporate social networks. These are virtual networks, secure, internal to companies that allow to group employees (or external partners) in communities created based on projects, expertise, interests, etc. These networks are based on application platforms offering various integrated collaborative features (directory, address book, calendar, messaging, micro-blogging, sharing / archiving of documents, presence management, etc.).

Translated from Wikipedia