I’ve been on the Internet since the early 90′s. It’s been amazing to watch how the Internet has grown and changed over the years. The one aspect that really has been causing a lot of change and innovation the last couple of years is “Social Networking”. There has always been ways for people with similar interests to meet and socialize but the Internet allows people worldwide to connect with others that share interests, hobbies, goals, opinions, thoughts, feelings, etc.

There are many people that don’t “see” how the Internet can be social. There are those that think being on the Internet is disconnecting and withdrawing from actual social aspects of life. There are aspects of being online that could be seen as disconnecting but with the plethora of social networks available and the strong communities that are emerging, the online world can offer a very “social” experience. Many members of social networks organize are arranging regular real life meetups with the friends they have established on the Internet.

Over the years I have belonged to various sites and groups on the Internet. The social networking sites of today have allowed me to meet and connect with many people online. A lot of my online friends, and I do mean friends, are located nearby. We have had multiple opportunities to meet in person for different events. I can almost guarantee I never would have met these friends otherwise.

The Internet is a very social environment for myself and many of the people I know. I can’t wait to see where social networking goes the next few years.