Social Networking Service Essay Example

Social Networking Service Essay Example Social Networking Service Essay Social Networking Service Essay Essay Topic: The Social Contract A social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, who, for example, share interests and/or activities. A social network service essentially consists of a representation of each user (often a profile), his/her social links, and a variety of additional services. Most social network services are web based and provide means for users to interact over the Internet, such as e-mail and instant messaging. Online community services are sometimes considered as a social network service, though in a broader sense, social network service usually means an individual-centered service whereas online community services are group-centered. Social networking sites allow users to share ideas, activities, events, and interests within their individual networks. citation needed] The main types of social networking services are those which contain category places (such as former school year or classmates), means to connect with friends (usually with self-description pages) and a recommendation system linked to trust. Popular methods now combine many of these, with Facebook and Twitter widely used worldwide, Nexopia (mostly in Canada);[1] Bebo,[2] VKontakte, Hi5, Hyves (mostly in The Netherlands), Draugiem. lv (mostly in Latvia), StudiVZ (mostly in Germany), iWiW (mostly in Hungary), Tuenti (mostly in Spain), Nasza-Klasa (mostly in Poland), Nyx. z (mostly in Czech Republic), iCubee (mostly in Philippines), Decayenne, Tagged, XING,[3] Badoo[4] and Skyrock in parts of Europe;[5] Orkut and Hi5 in South America and Central America;[6] and Friendster, Mixi, Multiply, Orkut, Wretch, renren and Cyworld in Asia and the Pacific Islands and LinkedIn and Orkut are very popular in India. There have been attempts to standardize these services to avoid the need to duplicate entries of friends and interests (see the FOAF standard and the Open Source Initiative). A 2011 survey found that 47% of American adults used a social network. [7] History The potential for computer networking to facilitate new forms of computer-mediated social interaction was suggested early on. [8] Efforts to support social networks via computer-mediated communication were made in many early online services, including Usenet, ARPANET, LISTSERV, and bulletin board services (BBS). Many prototypical features of social networking sites were also present in online services such as America Online, Prodigy, and CompuServe. Early social networking on the World Wide Web began in the form of generalized online communities such as Theglobe. com (1995),[9] Geocities (1994) and Tripod. om (1995). Many of these early communities focused on bringing people together to interact with each other through chat rooms, and encouraged users to share personal information and ideas via personal webpages by providing easy-to-use publishing tools and free or inexpensive webspace. Some communities such as Classmates. com took a different approach by simply having people link to each other via email addresses. In the late 1990s, user profiles became a central feature of social networking sites, allowing users to compile lists of friends and search for other users with similar interests. New social networking methods were developed by the end of the 1990s, and many sites began to develop more advanced features for users to find and manage friends. [10] This newer generation of social networking sites began to flourish with the emergence of SixDegrees. com in 1997,[11] followed by Makeoutclub in 2000,[12][13], Friendster in 2002,[14] and soon became part of the Internet mainstream. Friendster was followed by MySpace and LinkedIn a year later, and finally, Bebo. Attesting to the rapid increase in social networking sites popularity, by 2005, MySpace was reportedly getting more page views than Google. Facebook,[15] launched in 2004, has since become the largest social networking site in the world. [16]Today, it is estimated that there are now over 200 active sites using a wide variety of social networking models. [citation needed] May 2011: Based on TNS research, the global average of who access daily the social networking sites accounts is 46 percent. [17] [edit]Social impacts Web based social networking services make it possible to connect people who share interests and activities across political, economic, and geographic borders. 18] Through e-mail and instant messaging, online communities are created where a gift economy and reciprocal altruism are encouraged through cooperation. Information is particularly suited to gift economy, as information is a nonrival good and can be gifted at practically no cost. [19][20] Facebook and other social networking tools are increasingly the object of scholarly research. Scholars in many fields have begun to investigate the impact of social networking sites, investigating how such sites may play into issues of identity, privacy,[21] social capital, youth culture, and education. 22] Several websites are beginning to tap into the power of the social networking model for philanthropy. Such models provide a means for connecting otherwise fragmented industries and small organizations without the resources to reach a broader audience with interested users. [23] Social networks are providing a different way for individuals to communicate digitally. These communities of hypertexts allow for the sharing of information and ideas, an old concept placed in a digital environment. In 2011, HCL Technologies conducted research which showed that 50% of British employers had banned the use of social networking sites/services during office hours. [24] [25] [edit]Typical structure [edit]Basics Social networking sites share some conventional features. Most often, individual users are encouraged to create profiles containing various information about themselves. Users can often upload pictures of themselves to their profiles, post blog entries for others to read, search for other users with similar interests, and compile and share lists of contacts. In addition, user profiles often have a section dedicated to comments from friends and other users. To protect user privacy, social networks usually have controls that allow users to choose who can view their profile, contact them, add them to their list of contacts, and so on. In recent years, it has also become common for a wide variety of organizations to create profiles to advertise products and services. [edit]Additional features Some social networks have additional features, such as the ability to create groups that share common interests or affiliations, upload or stream live videos, and hold discussions in forums. Geosocial networking co-opts Internet mapping services to organize user participation around geographic features and their attributes. There is also a trend for more interoperability between social networks led by technologies such as OpenID and OpenSocial. Lately, mobile social networking has become popular. [citation needed] In most mobile communities, mobile phone users can now create their own profiles, make friends, participate in chat rooms, create chat rooms, hold private conversations, share photos and videos, and hare blogs by using their mobile phone. Some companies provide wireless services which allow their customers to build their own mobile community and brand it, but one of the most popular wireless services for social networking in North America is Facebook Mobile. [edit]Emerging trends in social networking As the increase in popularity of social networking is on a constant rise,[26] new uses for the technology are constantly being observed. At the forefront of emergi ng trends in social networking sites is the concept of real-time web and location based. Real time allows users to contribute content, which is then broadcasted as it is being uploaded the concept is analogous to live radio and television broadcasts. Twitter set the trend for real time services, where users can broadcast to the world what they are doing, or what is on their minds within a 140 character limit. Facebook followed suit with their Live Feed where users activities are streamed as soon as it happens. While Twitter focuses on words, Clixtr, another real time service, focuses on group photo sharing where users can update their photo streams with photos while at an event. Facebook, however, remains easily the greatest photo sharing site Facebook application and photo aggregator Pixable estimates that Facebook will have 100 billion photos by Summer 2011 [27]. Foursquare gained popularity as it allowed for users to check-in to places that they are frequenting at that moment. Gowalla is another such service which functions in much the same way that Foursquare does, leveraging the GPS in phones to create a location-based user experience. Clixtr, though in the real time space, is also a location based social networking site since events created by users are automatically geotagged, and users can view events occurring nearby through the Clixtr iPhone app. Recently, Yelp announced its entrance into the location based social networking space through check-ins with their mobile app; whether or not this becomes detrimental to Foursquare or Gowalla is yet to be seen as it is still considered a new space in the Internet technology industry. 28] One popular use for this new technology is social networking between businesses. Companies have found that social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are great ways to build their brand image. According to Jody Nimetz, author of Marketing Jive,[29] there are five major uses for businesses and social media: to create brand awareness, as an online reputation management tool, for recruiting, to learn about new technologies and competitors, and as a lead generation tool to inter cept potential prospects. 29] These companies are able to drive traffic to their own online sites while encouraging their consumers and clients to have discussions on how to improve or change products or services. One other use that is being discussed is the use of social networks in the science communities. Julia Porter Liebeskind et al. have published a study on how new biotechnology firms are using social networking sites to share exchanges in scientific knowledge. 30] They state in their study that by sharing information and knowledge with one another, they are able to increase both their learning and their flexibility in ways that would not be possible within a self-contained hierarchical organization. Social networking is allowing scientific groups to expand their knowledge base and share ideas, and without these new means of communicating their theories might become isolated and irrelevant. Social networks are also being used by teachers and students as a communication tool. Because many students are already using a wide-range of social networking sites, teachers have begun to familiarize themselves with this trend and are now using it to their advantage. Teachers and professors are doing everything from creating chat-room forums and groups to extend classroom discussion to posting assignments, tests and quizzes, to assisting with homework outside of the classroom setting. Social networks are also being used to foster teacher-parent communication. These sites make it possible and more convenient for parents to ask questions and voice concerns without having to meet face-to-face. Social networks are being used by activists as a means of low-cost grassroots organizing. Extensive use of an array of social networking sites enabled organizers of the 2009 National Equality March to mobilize an estimated 200,000 participants to march on Washington with a cost savings of up to 85% per participant over previous methods. [31] The use of online social networks by libraries is also an increasingly prevalent and growing tool that is being used to communicate with more potential library users, as well as extending the services provided by individual libraries. A final rise in social network use is being driven by college students using the services to network with professionals for internship and job opportunities. Many studies have been done on the effectiveness of networking online in a college setting, and one notable one is by Phipps Arabie and Yoram Wind published in Advances in Social Network Analysis. [32] [edit]Social network hosting service A social network hosting service is a web hosting service that specifically hosts the user creation of web-based social networking services, alongside related applications. Such services are also known as vertical social networks due to the creation of SNSes which cater to specific user interests and niches; like larger, interest-agnostic SNSes, such niche networking services may also possess the ability to create increasingly niche groups of users. [edit]Business model Few social networks currently charge money for membership. In part, this may be because social networking is a relatively new service, and the value of using them has not been firmly established in customers minds. citation needed] Companies such as MySpace and Facebook sell online advertising on their site. Their business model is based upon large membership count, and charging for membership would be counterproductive. [33] Some believe that the deeper information that the sites have on each user will allow much better targeted advertising than any other site can currently provide. [34] Social networks operate under an autonomous business model, in which a social networks members serve dual roles as both the suppliers and the consumers of content. This is in contrast to a traditional business model, where the suppliers and consumers are distinct agents. Revenue is typically gained in the autonomous business model via advertisements, but subscription-based revenue is possible when membership and content levels are sufficiently high. [35] [edit]Issues [edit]Privacy Privacy concerns with social networking services have been raised growing concerns amongst users on the dangers of giving out too much personal information and the threat of sexual predators. Users of these services also need to be aware of data theft or viruses. However, large services, such as MySpace and Netlog, often work with law enforcement to try to prevent such incidents. [citation needed] In addition, there is a perceived privacy threat in relation to placing too much personal information in the hands of large corporations or governmental bodies, allowing a profile to be produced on an individuals behavior on which decisions, detrimental to an individual, may be taken. Furthermore, there is an issue over the control of data- information that was altered or removed by the user may in fact be retained and/or passed to third parties. This danger was highlighted when the controversial social networking site Quechup harvested e-mail addresses from users e-mail accounts for use in a spamming operation. [36] In medical and scientific research, asking subjects for information about their behaviors is normally strictly scrutinized by institutional review boards, for example, to ensure that adolescents and their parents have informed consent. It is not clear whether the same rules apply to researchers who collect data from social networking sites. These sites often contain a great deal of data that is hard to obtain via traditional means. Even though the data are public, republishing it in a research paper might be considered invasion of privacy. [37] Privacy on social networking sites can be undermined by many factors. For example, users may disclose personal information, sites may not take adequate steps to protect user privacy, and third parties frequently use information posted on social networks for a variety of purposes. For the Net generation, social networking sites have become the preferred forum for social interactions, from posturing and role playing to simply sounding off. However, because such forums are relatively easy to access, posted content can be reviewed by anyone with an interest in the users personal information. [38][39][40] Following plans by the UK government to monitor traffic on social networks[41] schemes similar to E-mail jamming have been proposed for networks such as Twitter and Facebook. These would involve friending and following large numbers of random people to thwart attempts at network analysis. [edit]Data mining Through data mining, companies are able to improve their sales and profitability. With this data, companies create customer profiles that contain customer demographics and online behavior. A recent strategy has been the purchase and production of â€Å"network analysis software†. This software is able to sort out through the influx of social networking data for any specific company. [42] Facebook has been especially important to marketing strategists. Facebook’s controversial and new â€Å"Social Ads† program gives companies access to the millions of profiles in order to tailor their ads to a Facebook user’s own interests and hobbies. However, rather than sell actual user information, Facebook sells tracked â€Å"social actions†. That is, they track the websites a user uses outside of Facebook through a program called â€Å"Facebook Beacon†. [43] [edit]Notifications on websites There has been a trend for social networking sites to send out only positive notifications to users. For example sites such as Bebo, Facebook, and Myspace will not send notifications to users when they are removed from a persons friends list. Similarly Bebo will send out a notification if a user is moved to the top of another users friends list but no notification is sent if they are moved down the list. This allows users to purge undesirables from their list extremely easily and often without confrontation since a user will rarely notice if one person disappears from their friends list. It also enforces the general positive atmosphere of the website without drawing attention to unpleasant happenings such as friends falling out, rejection and failed relationships. [edit]Access to information Many social networking services, such as Facebook, provide the user with a choice of who can view their profile. This prevents unauthorized user(s) from accessing their information. [44] Parents who want to access their childs MySpace or Facebook account have become a big problem for teenagers who do not want their profile seen by their parents. By making their profile private, teens can select who may see their page, allowing only people added as friends to view their profile and preventing unwanted viewing of the profile by parents. Most teens are constantly trying to create a structural barrier between their private life and their parents. 45] To edit information on a certain social networking service account, the social networking sites require you to login or provide a password. This prevents unauthorized user(s) from adding, changing, or removing personal information, pictures, and/or other data. [edit]Potential for misuse The relative freedom afforded by social networking services has caused concern regarding the potential of its misuse by individual patrons. In October 2006, a fake Mysp ace profile created in the name of Josh Evans by Lori Janine Drew led to the suicide of Megan Meier. 46] The event incited global concern regarding the use of social networking services for bullying purposes In July 2008, a Briton, Grant Raphael, was ordered to pay a total of GBP ? 22,000 (about USD $44,000) for libel and breach of privacy. Raphael had posted a fake page on Facebook purporting to be that of a former schoolfriend Matthew Firsht, with whom Raphael had fallen out in 2000. The page falsely claimed that Firsht was homosexual and that he was dishonest. At the same time, genuine use of social networking services has been treated with suspicion on the ground of the services misuse. In September 2008, the profile of Australian Facebook user Elmo Keep was banned by the sites administrators on the grounds that it violated the sites terms of use. Keep is one of several users of Facebook who were banned from the site on the presumption that their names arent real, as they bear resemblance the names of characters like Sesame Streets Elmo. [47] [edit]Risk for child safety Citizens and governments have been concerned by a misuse by child and teenagers of social networking services, particularly in relation to online sexual predators. A certain number of actions have been engaged by governments to better understand the problem and find some solutions. [specify] A 2008 panel concluded that technological fixes such as age verification and scans are relatively ineffective means of apprehending online predators. [48] In May 2010, a child pornography social networking site with hundreds of members was dismantled by law enforcement. It was deemed the largest crimes against children case brought anywhere by anyone. [49] [edit]Trolling Main article: Troll (Internet) A common misuse of social networking sites such as Facebook is that it is occasionally used to emotionally abuse individuals. Such actions are often referred to as trolling. It is not rare for confrontations in the real world to be translated online. [citation needed] Trolling can occur in many different forms, such as (but not limited to) defacement of deceased person(s) tribute pages, name calling, playing online pranks on volatile individuals and controversial comments with the intention to cause anger and cause arguments. Trolling is not to be confused with cyber-bullying. edit]Online bullying Online bullying, also called cyber-bullying, is a relatively common occurrence and it can often result in emotional trauma for the victim. Depending on the networking outlet, up to 39% of users admit to being â€Å"cyber-bullied†. [50] Danah Boyd, a researcher of social networks quotes a teenager in her article, Why Youth (Heart) Social Network Sites. The teenager expresses frustrati on towards networking sites like MySpace because it causes drama and too much emotional stress. [51] There are not many limitations as to what individuals can post when online. Inherently individuals are given the power to post offensive remarks or pictures that could potentially cause a great amount of emotional pain for another individual. [edit]Interpersonal communication Interpersonal communication has been a growing issue as more and more people have turned to social networking as a means of communication. Benniger (1987) describes how mass media has gradually replaced interpersonal communication as a socializing force. Further, social networking sites have become popular sites for youth culture to explore themselves, relationships, and share cultural artifacts. A Privacy Paradox Many teens and social networking users may be harming their interpersonal communication by using sites such as Facebook and MySpace. Stated by Baroness Greenfield, an Oxford University Neuroscientist, My fear is that these technologies are infantilizing the brain into the state of small children who are attracted by buzzing noises and bright lights, who have a small attention span and who live for the moment. [52] The convenience which social network sites give users to communicate with one another can also damage their interpersonal communication. Sherry Turkle, the founder and director of the MIT Initiative on Technology and Self, stated, â€Å"Networked, we are together, but so lessened are our expectations of each other that we feel utterly alone. And there is the risk that we come to see others as objects to be accessedand only for the parts we find useful, comforting, or amusing (Turkle 154). †[53] Furthermore, social network sites can create insincere friendships, Turkle also noted, â€Å"They nurture friendships on social-networking sites and then wonder if they are among friends. They become confused about companionship (Turkle 17). †[54] [edit]Psychological effects of social networking As social networking sites have risen in popularity over the past years, people have been spending an excess amount of time on social networking sites and on the Internet in general. The excessive amount of time that people spend on social networking sites has led researchers to debate the establishment of Internet addiction as an actual clinical disorder. [55] Social networking can also affect the extent to which a person feels lonely. In a Newsweek article, Johannah Cornblatt explains â€Å"Social-networking sites like Facebook and MySpace may provide people with a false sense of connection that ultimately increases loneliness in people who feel alone. † John T. Cacioppo, a neuroscientist at the University of Chicago, claims that social networking can foster feelings of sensitivity to disconnection, which can lead to loneliness. [56] [edit]Patents Number of US social network patent applications published per year and patents issued per year There has been rapid growth in the number of US patent applications that cover new technologies related to social networking. The number of published applications has been growing rapidly since 2003. There are now over 3500 published applications. As many as 7000 applications may be currently on file including those that havent been published yet. [57] Only about 400 [58] of these applications have issued as patents, however, largely due to the multi-year backlog in examination of business method patents and the difficulty in getting these patent applications allowed. [59] It has been reported that social networking patents are important for the establishment of new start-up companies. 60] It has also been reported, however, that social networking patents inhibit innovation. [61] On June 15, 2010, the United States Patent and Trademark Office awarded Amazon. com a patent for a Social Networking System based on its ownership of PlanetAll. [62] The patent describes a Social Networking System as A networked computer system provides various services for assisting users in locating, and establishing contact rela tionships with, other users. For example, in one embodiment, users can identify other users based on their affiliations with particular schools or other organizations. The system also provides a mechanism for a user to selectively establish contact relationships or connections with other users, and to grant permissions for such other users to view personal information of the user. The system may also include features for enabling users to identify contacts of their respective contacts. In addition, the system may automatically notify users of personal information updates made by their respective contacts. [63] The patent has garnered attention due to its similarity to the popular social networking site Facebook. 64] [edit]Investigations Main article: Use of social network websites in investigations Social networking services are increasingly being used in legal and criminal investigations. Information posted on sites such as MySpace and Facebook has been used by police (forensic profiling), probation, and university officials to prosecute users of said sites. In some situations, content posted on MySpace has been used in court. [65] Facebook is inc reasingly being used by school administrations and law enforcement agencies as a source of evidence against student users. The site, the number one online destination for college students, allows users to create profile pages with personal details. These pages can be viewed by other registered users from the same school which often include resident assistants and campus police who have signed up for the service. [66] One UK police force has sifted pictures from Facebook and arrested some people who had been photographed in a public place holding a weapon such as a knife (having a weapon in a public place is illegal). [67] [edit]Application domains [edit]Government applications Social networking is more recently being used by various government agencies. Social networking tools serve as a quick and easy way for the government to get the opinion of the public and to keep the public updated on their activity. The Centers for Disease Control demonstrated the importance of vaccinations on the popular childrens site Whyville and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has a virtual island on Second Life where people can explore underground caves or explore the effects of global warming. [68] Similarly, NASA has taken advantage of a few social networking tools, including Twitter and Flickr. They are using these tools to aid the Review of U. S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee, whose goal it is to ensure that the nation is on a vigorous and sustainable path to achieving its boldest aspirations in space. [69] [edit]Business applications The use of social networking services in an enterprise context presents the potential of having a major impact on the world of business and work (Fraser Dutta 2008). Social networks connect people at low cost; this can be beneficial for entrepreneurs and small businesses looking to expand their contact bases. These networks often act as a customer relationship management tool for companies selling products and services. Companies can also use social networks for advertising in the form of banners and text ads. Since businesses operate globally, social networks can make it easier to keep in touch with contacts around the world. One example of social networking being used for business purposes is LinkedIn. com, which aims to interconnect professionals. LinkedIn has over 100 million users in over 200 countries. [70] Another is the use of physical spaces available to members of a social network such as Hub Culture, an invitation only social network for entrepreneurs, and other business influentials, with Pavilions in major cities such as London, UK. Having a physical presence allows members to network in the real world, as well as the virtual, adding extra business value. Applications for social networking sites have extended toward businesses and brands are creating their own, high functioning sites, a sector known as brand networking. It is the idea a brand can build its consumer relationship by connecting their consumers to the brand image on a platform that provides them relative content, elements of participation, and a ranking or score system. Brand networking is a new way to capitalize on social trends as a marketing tool. [edit]Dating applications See also: Online dating service. Many social networks provide an online environment for people to communicate and exchange personal information for dating purposes. Intentions can vary from looking for a one time date, short-term relationships, and long-term relationships. [71] Most of these social networks, just like online dating services, require users to give out certain pieces of information. This usually includes a users age, gender, location, interests, and perhaps a picture. Releasing very personal information is usually discouraged for safety reasons. [72] This allows other users to search or be searched by some sort of criteria, but at the same time people can maintain a degree of anonymity similar to most online dating services. Online dating sites are similar to social networks in the sense that users create profiles to meet and communicate with others, but their activities on such sites are for the sole purpose of finding a person of interest to date. Social networks do not necessarily have to be for dating; many users simply use it for keeping in touch with friends, and colleagues. [73] However, an important difference between social networks and online dating services is the fact that online dating sites usually require a fee, where social networks are free. [74] This difference is one of the reasons the online dating industry is seeing a massive decrease in revenue due to many users opting to use social networking services instead. Many popular online dating services such as Match. om, Yahoo Personals, and eHarmony. com are seeing a decrease in users, where social networks like MySpace and Facebook are experiencing an increase in users. [75] The number of Internet users in the U. S. that visit online dating sites has fallen from a peak of 21% in 2003 to 10% in 2006. [76] Whether its the cost of the services, the variety of users with different intentions, or any other reason, it is undeniable that social networking sites are qu ickly becoming the new way to find dates online. [edit]Educational applications The National School Boards Association reports that almost 60 percent of students who use social networking talk about education topics online and, surprisingly, more than 50 percent talk specifically about schoolwork. Yet the vast majority of school districts have stringent rules against nearly all forms of social networking during the school day - even though students and parents report few problem behaviors online. Social networks focused on supporting relationships between teachers and their students are now used or learning, educator professional development, and content sharing. Ning for teachers, Learn Central,[77] TeachStreet and other sites are being built to foster relationships that include educational blogs, eportfolios, formal and ad hoc communities, as well as communication such as chats, discussion threads, and synchronous forums. These sites also have content sharing and rating features. Social networks are also emerging as online yearbooks, both public and private. One such service is MyYearbook which allows anyone from the general public to register and connect. A new trend emerging are private label yearbooks only accessible by students, parents and teachers of a particular school similar to Facebook beginning within Harvard. [citation needed] [edit]Finance applications The use of virtual currency systems inside social networks create new opportunities for global finance. Hub Culture operates a virtual currency Ven used for global transactions among members, product sales[78] and financial trades in commodities and carbon credits. [79] [80] In May 2010, Carbon pricing contracts were introduced to the weighted basket of currencies and commodities that determine the floating exchange value of Ven. The introduction of carbon to the calculation price of the currency made Ven the first and only currency that is linked to the environment. [81] [edit]Medical applications Social networks are beginning to be adopted by healthcare professionals as a means to manage institutional knowledge, disseminate peer to peer knowledge and to highlight individual physicians and institutions. The advantage of using a dedicated medical social networking site is that all the members are screened against the state licensing board list of practitioners. 82] The role of social networks is especially of interest to pharmaceutical companies who spend approximately 32 percent of their marketing dollars attempting to influence the opinion leaders of social networks. [83] A new trend is emerging with social networks created to help its members with various physical and mental ailments. [84] For people suffering from life altering diseases, PatientsLikeMe offers its members the chance to connect with others dealing with similar issues and research patient data related to their condition. For alcoholics and addicts, SoberCircle gives people in recovery the ability to communicate with one another and strengthen their recovery through the encouragement of others who can relate to their situation. DailyStrength is also a website that offers support groups for a wide array of topics and conditions, including the support topics offered by PatientsLikeMe and SoberCircle. SparkPeople offers community and social networking tools for peer support during weight loss. [edit]Social and political applications Social networking sites have recently showed a value in social and political movements. In the Egyptian revolution, Facebook and Twitter both played a pivotal role in keeping people connected to the revolt. Egyptian activist have credited social networking sites with providing a platform for planning protest and sharing news from Tahrir Square in real time. By presenting a platform for thousands of people to instantaneously share videos of mainly events featuring brutality, social networking proves to be a vital tool in revolutions.

Stakeholder analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Stakeholder analysis - Essay Example 4. Government –the organizations works with the local government of North Carolina. The identification of the stakeholders has been carried out based on what they do in the organization (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2006, p. 9). This information was analyzed in the following ways: collected using observation method, then sampled using systematic method and then reported utilizing the tabular form below. B). The stakeholders have been classified depending on what they bring to the table and their contribution to the whole organization. This is not more of an assumption on the first two classifications; that is the members and the management. The assessment here is that; for the management they make the decisions that involve the everyday activities of the company. For the members, these are the women who benefit from what the organization is doing at the given time (Jigna 2011, p. 12). Looking at what the organization does, one learns that the projects that they do are; physical activity buddy programs, cooking club education, fruit and vegetable purchases at a discount, increased access to produce vendors and increase access to places for physical activity. This means that the organization needs other stakeholders, such as gym owners and vendors, these are the stakeholders that are identified for the last classification of stakeholders above. Jigna D. (2011): Development of the Oxford Hills Healthy Moms Project using a social marketing process: a community-based physical activity and nutrition intervention for low-socioeconomic-status mothers in a rural area in Maine. Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina in Greensboro, Greensboro, USA retrieved on May 17, 2015. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2006). Healthy People 2010 midcourse review. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention

HIV and AIDS Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

HIV and AIDS - Research Paper Example The HIV takes control of the white cells once inside to make it function as a manufacturing base for viruses instead or the CD4+ T cells, hence lowering the immune system while increasing the viral load in the blood. The HIV and AIDs has no cure and people should focus on working towards suppressing the HIV mutation and not be overwhelmed by existing myths of cure. There are several means of transmission, distinguished into blood exposure, child delivery and breast feeding, and sexual contact among others, except the confusing beliefs. HIV infection develops into 4 stages before transforming into AIDs; they are both related diseases that could be treated from further advancement by prevention means, for the victim to live a longer healthier life. Keywords: HIV, Aids, CD4+ T Cells, Viral Load, Victim, Opportunistic Illnesses, Transmission, Blood Contact, Sexual Intercourse, Virus, Prevention, Treatment, Antiretroviral, CD4 Counts Introduction HIV and AIDs has been one critical health concern area that clinical and scientific researchers have invested resources in and continue to make progress in research. It is no longer a national agenda, but the effects of the disease have called for global governance to assist in preventing further spread. Until now, there are many people who do not seem to get the concept between the two diseases, and as a result, several myths have been coined within the social settings, some inflicting fear, discouragement, and stigmatization. HIV stands for Human immunodeficiency virus, while AIDs is Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; the two diseases are related and known to destroy part of the immune system, specifically the white blood cell (T lymphocyte), cells that are concerned in fighting diseases and germs in the body ( â€Å"HIV hurts† 2013, para. 1). Through the diseases, many in the global population have been infected and definitely affected as many die leaving orphans and their loved ones unexpectedly. According to em edicinehealth, â€Å"approximately 40 million people are living with HIV infections, and estimated 25 million have died from this disease† (2013, para. 1). They are diseases that spread like a plaque and are known to have no cure, meaning their treatment is just mere prevention of further advancement into dangerous stages. HIV and AIDs history Researchers trace the origin of the diseases in Africa as a transmission from chimpanzees, after the blood contacts of the two animals (chimpanzee and human). The historical means of the African population for survival was through hunting and gathering, hence the blood contact is thought to have occurred either in butchering or hunting for food. AIDs was the first to be detected (around 1981) among people, especially the gay and bisexual men, one being diagnosed to have AIDs after developing some of the opportunistic infections and cancers that were uncommon for people with healthy immune system (Gallant, 2012, p. 16). This means that t he HIV virus was already in the infected people and had developed to advanced stages to be called AIDs; simply because the virus had not yet been discovered to limit its growth and develop treatment. After the discovery of HIV, it became possible to distinguish the two, such that if one is tested and found to have the virus, then he/she is termed

Studying abroad Essay Example for Free

Studying abroad Essay Being a constituent of the academe, it is really a must for me to pursue more for the sake of advancing and developing my knowledge and abilities. For a very long time, I have always held this philosophy: knowledge must not be confined in the corners of a room. This statement always pushes me to go and explore everything that could help me understand everything in this world. I would not just sit down, listen to what my teacher says, take down notes, read books, take exams and do projects. For me, those would not suffice my craving for knowledge. And that is noteworthy because as a student, as an advocate of education, it is necessary not to become so in tuned with theoretical means of inputting knowledge. As how the wise Confucius said, directly experiencing things would give more knowledge that is far more reliable than those that are gained by simply hearing or seeing them. In this regard, I want to pursue a study abroad. I want to know things other than those things that I already have knowledge of. I want to understand why people in Spain are different from people in my country. I want to be able to distinguish the uniqueness that separates them from other races across the world. And such exploration would really help me improve my knowledge about Spain and other things that are not that comprehensible if I would just be in my country. I would be able to appreciate more the diversity of cultures, religions, and traditions by being situated in a place that I am not yet oriented with. This endeavor would really teach me many things that in return I could share with my future students (as I plan to become a teacher someday). I always believe that a credible teacher teaches his students things that he had already proven to be true or things that he is really certain of. This scholarship is truly necessary for my studies and future undertakings. I am hoping that you would be able to understand my purpose regarding this matter.

Womens Rights :: Politics, Race, Social Issues

The peculiarly passive obsession with security as the ultimate happiness, the compulsive conformity of life styles (engenderedat least in part by the virulent anti-communism of McCarthyismin odd combination with the Eisenhower era's pacifying blandness),and the pervasive apathy of most of the '50s was replaced in the1960s with an extraordinary and even reckless social energy and political activism. First Blacks, then other racial minorities, students, the New Left, peace protesters, and finally women, emerged one by oneas forces demanding social change. Each group became inflamed with a passion for the possible. The momentum of the feminist movement of the earlier decades ofthe 20th century had waned in the post-World War II decades. Thoughwork for women's rights actually continued by core organizations, it had become almost an underground resistance to a nearly overwhelmingly negative media blitz that insisted on proclaiming the death of feminism and on writing its obituary as it celebrated the happy suburban housewife. As early as 1946, Doris Stevens, a long-time militant suffragist with the National Woman's Party, wrote to a friend, wondering "if those who were living at the beginning of the last Dark Ages. . . knew the darkness had descended!"1 However, hope for a revival of feminist momentum in the UnitedStates was stimulated in part by a curious series of events. On August 26, 1957, (the uncelebrated 37th anniversary of the woman's suffrage amendment to the U.S. Constitution), the Soviet Union announced it had successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile. On October 4, it launched Sputnik I, the first"man-made" space satellite, and on November 3, Sputnik II, which carried a live dog.

LETTER OF APPLICATION Essay

Letter of application A letter of application is one’s first introduction to his/her prospective employer. It is a persuasive message that sells the applicant’s talents to the employer. In that case, it should be similar to that of a sales letter in attracting and impressing the reader and motivating him to take action. Job application letter, usually, has two parts: (i) Cover letter and (ii) Resume. (i) COVER LETTER The cover letter is not just a forwarding letter. The purpose of writing a cover letter is to persuade the employer to read the resume enclosed. It should be tactfully written and carefully organized, so that it gains attention and builds interest and motivates the employer to take action. Format Though there are many formats, full block format with open punctuation marks is the most popularly used forms in today’s business communication. Full block format means, aligning all the parts of the letters in the left margin without indenting. One line space has to be left between the parts. Open punctuation refers to using punctuation marks only in the main body of the letter in order to ensure clear comprehension and omitting punctuation marks like commas and full stops in all other parts (date, address, salutation, subscription, etc.) How to Write an Effective Cover Letter? An effective cover letter must convince the employer that the candidate possesses the requisite skills for the job and ensure him that he is the suitable person for the post. So the cover letter should highlight the most relevant skills/achievements/performance, needed for the job. The cover letter is usually written in three or four small paragraphs with enough white space in between. In the first paragraph, (i) mention the subject and reference. In other words, the name of the post you are applying and the source of information (name of the newspaper and the date) are to be mentioned. In case of some other sources like personal contacts, due acknowledgement has to be made. (ii) Express the reason to apply for the post or your willingness to be considered as a candidate. Some sample openings: 1. Your advertisement for the post of Software Engineer in the June 25, 2008 issue of The Times of India interested me as I am confident that I possess the requisite qualification and skills. I wish to be considered as a candidate for the same. 2. I understand from Mr. Rajgopal, one of your faculty that there is an opening in your esteemed organization for the post of Marketing Executive.. 3. I was very interested to see your advertisement for the post Software Engineer in The Hindu of 29.06.2008. I have been seeking for such an opportunity as this, and I think my background and your requirements may be a good match. I am very much interested in working as a Software Engineer in your esteemed concern. In the second paragraph, (i) highlight your academic and professional skills which are more relevant for the post you are applying now. (ii) Give specific and the most important details of your achievements and inform the employer that your resume is enclosed for the other details of your qualification and experience. Some samples: 1. As my enclosed resume indicates, I have a B.E in Electronics and Communication Engineering. I was a University rank holder and was awarded a merit scholarship by the University. I did my internship at Reliance, Bangalore, during the summer vacation. My project work has helped me acquire a wide variety of skills that would benefit your company. 2. My education includes a B.E .in Electrical Engineering from National Institute of Technology, Tiruchi and an MBA from IGNOU, New Delhi. During my undergraduation, I did a summer project in Network Security, at BSNL, Coimbatore. and received a letter of appreciation for my vision and ability to multitask. I wish to begin my career with Polexcel and I believe that my employment with you would be highly beneficial to your company and also add value to my career. In the third paragraph/concluding paragraph, (i) motivate the employer for taking action, i.e., calling for an interview (ii) express your convenience to attend the interview. Some Sample Closings: 1. I look forward to the opportunity of attending an interview when I can provide additional details. 2. I would like to meet you and discuss the employment possibilities at your company. I expect your reply and appreciate your consideration. 3. I shall be pleased to provide any further information you may need and hope I may be given an opportunity of an interview. 4. I wish to begin my career with SR Industries and I believe that my employment with you would be highly beneficial to your company and also add value to my career. 5. I have been looking for an opening like this one, which provides a fast moving, dynamic work environment and accelerated and challenging growth opportunities. (ii) RESUME A resume is a selective record of a candidate’s academic, professional and personal background. It is basically, a professional employment seeking document that presents the summary of an individual’s education, professional training, experience, skills, abilities, achievements and references. The length of the resume should be between 1 and 2 pages long. Format There is no specific format for writing a resume. The resume should have an effective design with a focus on readability and adaptation to the expectations of the prospective employer. Though the parts and the format of a resume differ from person to person and company to company, the standard parts of a resume include the following: 1. heading, 2. position sought, 3. career objective, 4. education, 5. work experience, 6. special skills, 7. achievements, 8. activities, and interests 9. references. Some sample objectives 1. To work as a System Manager in a leading IT company where I will have opportunities to use my knowledge in VB, ASP, NET, XML and SQL server. 2. To be a part of a fast growing multinational company that will enable me to use my analytical, interpersonal and communication skills. 3. Entry level position is design and development of microprocessor circuitry; eventual advancement to positions as Technical Manager or Project Leader. Resume Style There are three acceptable resume styles: Chronological, Functional and Hybrid (a combination of both) Chronological Resume: This is the most commonly used resume style. It focuses on education and experience and the details are arranged in reverse chronological order. Functional Resume: Functional resumes highlight accomplishments and emphasise skills. The requisite skills are demonstrated by means of the experience the candidate possesses. Combination Resume: As the name suggests, it combines the best features of chronological and functional resumes. This style is very rarely used. In short, the style of the resume depends on the nature of the job and the skills and qualification of the candidate. Points to Remember in Writing a Resume Make the design and format readable with main sections noticeable and the individual components distinct, separate and clear. Give well defined headings Leave enough white space between the parts. Align everything to the left Leave at least one inch margin Use standard font, preferably, Ariel or Times New Roman with 10 or 12 font size. Be specific, factual and objective. Edit carefully for grammar, vocabulary and spelling errors. Avoid punctuation as much as possible. Avoid columns, vertical, horizontal lines, or boxes. Avoid decorative designs, and typography Make the resume computer-friendly. Thus the success of employment search largely depends on a candidate’s ability to design an effective cover letter and a persuasive resume. LETTER OF APPLICATION Example: 30.06.2008 M.Harish 25/186, Fourth Avenue Jeeva Nagar Tambaram Chennai – 600 045 The General Manager Human Resources Division Infitech Solutions Chennai – 103 Dear Sir In response to your advertisement in The Times of India of 29.06.2008, I wish to apply for the post of Software Engineer in your reputed concern. My academic record reflects my sincerity and strong determination. I graduated with a B.Tech in Information Technology from Anna University, Coimbatore with distinction in May 2008. I received the Chief Minister Merit Scholarship during 2006-2007 for my academic performance. As a dynamic and extroverted student, I took active interest and participation in many extra curricular and co-curricular activities and won prizes. I have enclosed my resume for the details of my qualification for your perusal. As I have a sound academic background, good oral and written communication skills, proficiency in computers and high degree of commitment, I would be able to contribute to the growth and expansion of your company. I look forward to having the opportunity to further discuss my qualifications for the post of Software Engineer at your firm. Thanking you in anticipation Yours faithfully, Sign. M.HARISH Enc: Resume RESUME M.HARISH Address: 25/186, Fourth Avenue Jeeva Nagar Tambaram Chennai – 600 045 Phone: 044 – 2239 4657 Mobile: 98764 95342 E mail: harish_m@rediffmail.com OBJECTIVE To obtain a challenging position as a Software Engineer in an innovative software company where I will have opportunities to utilize my computer proficiency, communication and interpersonal skills to contribute to the growth of the company and also enhance my career prospects. EDUCATION Anna University, Coimbatore B.Tech. in Information Technology, May, 2008. SH Senior Secondary School, Chennai passed Higher Secondary, April, 2004 SOFTWARE SKILLS Programming Languages: C, C++, JAVA, PERL Technologies: HTML, Java Security, JDBC Operating Systems: Linux, Unix, Windows 95/09/NT, DOS ACHIEVEMENTS Won Chief Minister Merit Scholarship for academic proficiency in III tear Won First prize in Inter – University elocution contest, in 2007. Secured Second position in Debugging’ contest, held at IIT, Chennai. ACTIVITIES Was the Student Secretary for the Society of Information Technologists Had been a member of National Cadet Corps for three years during my school Have participated in many extra – curricular activities and won prizes PERSONAL DETAILS Age & Date of Birth 21 years & 14.08. 1987 Marital Status: Single Languages Known: Tamil, English, Hindi, German Interests: Reading fiction, Web designing and Listening to Carnatic REFERENCES 1. Dr. V.Thanuvalingam Dean (Academic) Anna University Coimbatore 2. Dr.K.Viswanathan Professor& Head Department of Information Technology Anna University Coimbatore Task: Assume that you have completed your degree and draft a letter of application to be sent to your dream company. Prepare your own resume to be enclosed along with the cover letter.

Statement of Purpose - Economics Issue - 781 Words

My first realization of an economic issue occured 12 years ago when I moved from Lisbon to Sà £o Paulo, Brazil. In many aspects the differences between the two countries were striking, and I was particularly shocked when I learned that brazilian minimum wage was one fifth that of the portuguese. At the time, I questioned how two countries could have such different minimum wages and subsequently how Brazilians survived with such low income. Throughout the years I continued to see these economic contrasts originating from my experience with Portugal and Brazil were also present in other dimensions ranging from quality of public transportation, the average levels of education, and the functioning public health systems, among others.†¦show more content†¦Further, during this time I had the opportunity to work on a consultancy project for Pragma Heritage, work as a Teaching Assistant and as a Research Assistant to professor Rogà ©rio Mori, write articles for the economic press and - the experience that I would classify as a life-changing, my research internship with Pragma Heritage. During the internship I worked under the supervision of professor Paulo Tenani, whose research focused on the estimation of models to assess the empirical validity of the expectations hypothesis of the term structure of the interest rates for 15 countries. The experience to conduct a research project was so rewarding and remarkable that, in that moment, I decided I wanted to pursue graduate studies to acquire the necessary tools and skills to dedicate a career to economic research. Aware of the importance of critical research and analysis experience combined with a comprehensive mathematics background to succeed in the PhD program at ****, I decided first to apply to the Research Master degree at Nova School of Business and Economics. In addition to the rigourous training offered through the various mathematics and econometrics courses of the program, one the most interesting features of studying at Nova is the opportunity ofShow MoreRelatedThe General Purpose Financial Reporting And The Background Of The Iasb Essay1329 Words   |  6 PagesExecutive summary In this report, the introduction introduces the origin of the general purpose financial reporting and the background of the IASB. 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