Thursday, December 31, 2009

FledgeWing - US


Entrepreneurial university students have recently got a springboard of their own. FledgeWing is an online community currently supporting 170 universities around the world. The social networking website's scope is to connect student entrepreneurs with one another as well as with mentors, industry and funding sources. Features include business guidelines in the form of articles, case studies as business challenges within the technical world accompanied with any documents necessary to validate the point of view, companies with job listings and upcoming events, groups, interests, mentors, projects and universities.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

FilmAffinity - Spain


Hardcore film lovers and avid movie goers have a place of their own. With particular appeal to Spanish-speaking countries, FilmAffinity is a movie recommendations website where registered users rate movies, find recommended films based on personal ratings, create movie lists and write reviews (in the Spanish version). Registration is optional. Chosen by PC Magazine as one of the best entertainment sites of 2004, this online community has proven time and again the dynamics of affinity-based recommendation systems.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Fetlife - Canada


Fetlife is a free social networking website for the Bondage, BDSM and Fetish community. Self-described as similar to Facebook or MySpace, but run by kinksters, it provides social networking features that help members find friends and connect with others sharing similar kink interests. Most features like pictures, journal entries and discussions are available to registered users. Other features such as user-uploaded videos are available to donating members. As of today the site claims to have close to 300,000 members.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Friday, December 25, 2009

Faces.com - UK


A social networking website with a typical demographic member base between the ages of 16 to 22 and mostly female, is Faces.com. Winner of 2006 UK Website of the Year and Best Community Site, it offers all popular features characteristic for an online community, such as user profiles and blogs, web forums, unlimited photo galleries, video, live video chat, flash games and a points ranking system. After a phase of continuous changes bringing forth new features, and incorporating a number of similar websites to run along, Faces.com hopes to reach 2 million users, 80% of whom are UK-based.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Faceparty - UK


Another social networking website with a unique attitude (and a clever anagram) is Faceparty. Despite the disclaimer stating that "it is a community, which is the absolute opposite of a Social Network, there will be no social climbing here...", it does conform to the general rules of an online community with user profiles, photos, competitions, forums and messaging facilities. Members are required to a one-off payment through Paypal to get a password that allows them to register. Users that want to use extra features have to pay an annual fee.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Facebook - US


One of the most prominent and wildly accepted social networking websites in the world is Facebook. Started as a personal project of Mark Zuckerberg while in Harvard, it eventually led into a social networking revolution and set a paradigm on how much and to what extent social media can affect aspects of our lives, business or personal. According to interests or area of expertise, users can create up to 200 groups, create profiles, connect and interact with others, send messages, upload photos and create galleries. Facebook also actively encourages third party applications, turning its platform into an unlimited playground for user generated content. More than 350 million active users worldwide can vouch for that.

 

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Exploroo - Australia


Exploroo is a free-access social networking website dedicated to everything travel related. It allows travel agents to join and connect with travelers, in addition to booking flights, accommodation, read reviews on locations, services, hotels, airlines, travel agencies and tour operators. To completely cover all stages of travel, Exploroo also provides extensive articles about travel planning, preparation, safety, backpacking, couch surfing, home stays, and more. It also incorporates social networking aspects, such as user commenting, sharing, connecting, making friends and submitting articles and reviews.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Friday, December 18, 2009

Experience Project - US


Experience Project is a free social networking website based around connecting people through shared experiences. It's the largest living collection of shared experiences, providing a comfortable and supportive place for individuals to discuss and exchange similar life experiences anonymously without fear of recognition or embarrassment. It even goes so far as to prohibit the use or real names between registered members. Through personal stories, confessions, blogs, groups, photos, trivia games for helping animals, surveys, mood and wellness logging, this online community has amassed more that 3,6 million real-life experiences.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Epernicus - US


Epernicus is a social networking site and professional platform for research scientists. Built by scientists to address the needs of research networking, its main goal is to connect academic with real world scientific research, thus providing researchers tools, resources, contacts, methods, materials and the suitable expertise to help them advance their work. Through detailed scientific profiles, researchers connect and communicate with former and current colleagues, and collaborate efficiently across groups and departments around the world.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Eons.com - US


The generation of boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964, have their own social networking site. Eons.com is what Jeff Taylor, the creator of Monster.com, had in mind: an online community for boomers to explore their passions and interests, meet interesting people, share life experiences and keep in touch with friends and family. Groups, photos, videos and games help them towards that goal.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Elftown - Sweden


Elftown is a social networking site and the focal point of people interested in fantasy, science fiction, various arts and styles or related subject, including everything from traditional to modern. Diaries, messaging system, wikis, chat rooms, discussion forums, blogs, polls and the building of art galleries are features eagerly developed for Elftowners. The community comprises more than 200,000 members mostly from its sister site Elfwood.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Draugiem.lv - Latvia


Draugiem.lv is one of the largest social networking sites in Latvia. It has been so popular that it literally replaces email in everyday communication. The website's features include profiles, galleries, find friends, groups, travel experiences and blogs/forums. With more than 2,5 million registered members it also contains different sites for English, Dutch, Russian, Lithuanian and Hungarian speakers.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

DontStayIn - UK


With its spotlight around clubbing, DontStayIn is a social networking website covering most events that take place in UK's nightlife. Members are encouraged to upload picture galleries for events they've attended, add new events and contribute in any way they see fit. The site allows users to upload photos, comment and add venues from anywhere around the world. It has a very loyal fan-base which to this day amounts to more than 500,000 members.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Monday, December 14, 2009

Dol2day - Germany


Short for "democracy online today", dol2day is a social networking platform for like-minded German-speaking people interested in politics. Consisting of primarily young college and university students and professionals, the site offers unique features not normally found in other online communities. Of special interest are members' political preferences and virtual group memberships. Public-opinion polls about social and political issues are encouraged, whereas debates with real politicians and celebrities are organized from time to time.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Disaboom - US


Disaboom is an online community as diverse as any other social networking communities around the world. Its mission is humane: through sharing stories and personal insights, to provide its members tools, guidance and solid medical expertise in form of comprehensive sources of information and personal engagement for the disability community. With more than 180 million members, the community includes not just individuals with disabilities, but also medical practitioners, caregivers, family members and others.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

DeviantArt - US



DeviantArt is the world's largest online community dedicated to all sorts of user-generated artwork, including but not limited to photography, digital art, traditional art, literature, Flash, filmmaking, skins for applications. Extensive downloadable resources such as tutorials and stock photography are also features of this social networking site. 9 years after its inception, DeviantArt receives more than 100,000 submissions per day, consisting of more than 11 million members.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Friday, December 11, 2009

DailyStrength - US


DailyStrength arose from the need for emotional support in everyday life. Thus, it quickly morphed into a social networking website where members provide each other emotional support for their troubles and successes. It has created more than 500 support groups where anonymous users discuss issues such as depression, divorce, parenting, cancer. The site is manned with medical professionals offering their weighted opinions on various illnesses and problems.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Thursday, December 10, 2009

DailyBooth - US


DailyBooth is a social networking photo-blogging website mostly appealing to teens. It is based around users taking a photo of themselves everyday, adding a caption and uploading it, in order to document and share their life with others. Thus, the website's slogan "your life in pictures". By August 2009, the site was having over 3 million unique users a month with a growth rate of ~35% a month.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

CouchSurfing - US


"Participate in creating a better world, one couch at a time." That is the slogan of the CouchSurfing project which, after suffering pitfalls, now manages to exceed 1 million members. Members, upon free registration, have the option of providing very detailed information and pictures of themselves and of the sleeping accommodation being offered. In addition to that, members also offer to provide guide services or travel-related advice. Relying heavily on social networking, CouchSurfing organizes activities such as camping trips, bar crawls, meetings, and sporting events.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

College Tonight - US


College Tonight is a social networking website for US college students, graduates and alumni. It is focused on social opportunities and nightlife events on and around college campuses. The concept is based on informing people of the nightlife options in their direct area and help them socially interact with other young people in real life.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Cloob - Iran


After censorship by the Iranian government of a popular networking website, a variety of different sites and networks emerged. Cloob was one of them, trying to keep all content in accordance with Iranian law. Along with an invite-only registration system it sports features such as internal email , communities, personal and community photo albums, articles, live messaging and chat rooms, weblog, job and resume database, virtual money (called coroob), income/expense book keeping for individuals, online shops, classifieds, Q&As, link and content sharing, news, member updates and extensive permission setting capabilities.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Classmates.com - US


Classmates.com is a social media website that helps members find, connect and keep in touch with friends they have known since kindergarten, primary school, high school, college, work and the military. With user-generated content, it has more than 40 million members in the United States and Canada.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Care2 - US


Driven by passionate people who want to restore the world's balance, Care2 is committed to using the power of business to make a positive social and earth-friendly impact on the world, living a healthy, green lifestyle. Connecting activists from around the world with organizations and responsible businesses, the site now has 11 million members and 400 nonprofit partners.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Cake Financial - US


A free, web-based financial services social network, Cake Financial is one of the meeting points of individual investors sharing their real stock portfolios and performance with other members. It was introduced publicly at the 2007 TechCrunch40 Conference.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

CafeMom - US


What sets CafeMom apart is that it is a social networking site targeted specifically at mothers. Offering user-generated content such as journals, profiles, groups and photos, the site became so popular, within one year it became the most trafficked website for women on the Internet. It receives more than 3 million unique visitors a month.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Buzznet - US


Like many other networking sites, Buzznet is a content-based social networking website where members share personal interests. But unlike others based around user profiles, Buzznet focuses on communities created around ideas, events and interests, mainly music, celebrities and media. The website has also managed to secure two rounds of healthy funding and a number of partnerships with specific-content media companies.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).
 

BookCrossing - US


BookCrossing, defined as the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise, is one of those communities built around a passion: to make the whole world a library. The crossing or exchanging of books can take any number of forms, including public wild releases, direct swaps, book rings, controlled releases. The concept became so popular, the website now has more than 800,000 members and close to 6 million registered books.

Social networks comprehensive list (work in progress).