The Social Web? What’s that? Sounds funny eh?

Without further ado, okay, here’s the Wikipedia excerpt:

The Social Web is currently used to describe how people socialize or interact with each other throughout the World Wide Web. Such people are brought together through a variety of shared interests. There are different ways in which people want to socialize on the Web today. The first kind of socializing is typified by “people focus” websites such as Bebo, Facebook, and Myspace. Such sites promote the person as focus of social interaction. To do this a profile is constructed by each user. In many ways the profile is similar to a passport.

The second kind of socializing is typified by a sort of “hobby focus” websites. For example, if one is interested in photography and wants to share this with like-minded people, then there are photography websites such as Flickr, Kodak Gallery and Photobucket.

The Social Web may also be used to refer to two different, yet related concepts. The first is as a description of web 2.0 technologies that are focused on social interaction and community before anything else.

Some of you, actually most of you who have landed here in my blog, might have already familiarized yourself with those websites mentioned above and perhaps more: Youtube, Friendster, Gaia Online, Deviantart, Linkedin, Digg, Twitter, etc.

Your Home on the Web, Your Social Gathering Place

With the increasing popularity and adoption of mobile gadgets with internet connectivity, either through 3G or WiFi. These social networking sites are becoming a home and meeting place for people all around to find and communicate with friends, families, and even co-workers. They become a social gathering place online.

Facebook's Wall updates

You can update your status telling your friends, families about what you’re doing at this very moment. You can upload your photos of yesterday’s family outing, or older photo albums. Share your stories or stories, and let your friends or families join in and comment on them. These sites become a place for you to express yourself and tell the world about your presence.

Know the Limit!

But don’t forget… you have to know the limitation. You can’t just pour out all information about you on the web. You have to filter the information that you want to share. You have to be careful so that no one can misuse the info you share on these social networking sites to your own disadvantage. You have to be your own judge.

Be extra careful with your residential address, phone number, bank account number, credit card number. Also extra careful with the photos you upload publicly (especially those embarrassing ones of you or your families or friends). Trained professionals can extract information just by looking at these photos closely. If they can, so can criminals. We don’t want to attract those types, do we?

Expressing yourself on the social web is free and FUN… BUT… you have to stay alert and careful of the things you share. It’s just a word of caution.

Oh, don’t forget that your BOSS might be watching, too! :p

[UPDATE]

Articles for you to consider before sharing anything on the social network:

• http://www.michaelaulia.com/blogs/sick-leave-faker-caught-on-facebook.html
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jan/31/facebook-sex-divorce
• http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2008/10/24/Hooky-playing_worker_caught_using_Facebook/UPI-45161224823329/
• http://technollama.blogspot.com/2007/07/caught-on-facebook.html