Why Is It Called ‘Social Networking’?

From 43 Things to Zooomr, social networking sites have become a three-year-old overnight sensation. According to Wikipedia, “A social network service focuses on the building and verifying of online social networks for communities of people who share interests and activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others, and which necessitates the use of software.”

Yesterday, in my excitement thinking about tonight’s New York Web 2.0 Social Networking Tech Meetup at Slate on 21st street in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood, I wondered why we call it “social networking,” with the emphasis on ’social’. My assumption went something like this:

• If you talk with any non-tech person, and say you are ‘networking,’ by definition it automatically means one who  “interact[s] with other people to exchange information and develop contacts, esp. to further one’s career.”
• If you talk with many tech persons, and say you are ‘networking,’ chances are, they will assume you connecting a number of computers, machines, or operations.

So, the term “social networking” sounds a bit redundant. But, assuming it was coined by a ‘geek’, the term social networking as a form of human networking makes sense; any network to tech folks would refer to computers, not people.

I happened to mention this thought to a few people at tonght’s Web 2.0 Social Networking Tech Meetup, and, after explaining it a few times, I think some were intrigued and accepting.

Upon returning home, I did some research about the term social networking. Well, looks like I was wrong. Purportedly, and in an interview with Fast Company, Jonathan Abrams, founder of Friendster, claimed coinage of the term back in 2004.

He begins,

“The story of Friendster is that my girlfriend dumped me and I created the Web site to get laid. That’s a good story, and I’ve seen it printed in various places. It helps for getting consumer press, but the unfortunate reality is that it’s more boring than that.”

and continues,

“I’m also a big networker professionally, and I noticed that a friend had a lot of female friends he was hanging out with, and he wasn’t sleeping with them, but he would hook up with their friends.’

Lastly, he says,

”What happened was a bunch of people interested in business-oriented things, social networking means any service or site that has some aspect of the space.“

And there you have it.

---

Want more?
A List of social networking sites.

---

I welcome your comments, or, feel free to email me. Why not take a look around? If you like what you see, why not add me to your blogroll? Or, subscribe to my RSS feed? Or both. Thanks.

---

Tags: 10010, Chelsea, Jonathan Abrams, Manhattan, New York City, NYC, Social Networking, Web 2.0 Social Networking Tech Meetup