Thursday, September 24, 2009

Making the most of social networking

41.7 million Europeans are regular users of social networking sites. They will be 107.4 million by the end of 2012. Europeans are using them to share personal and professional experiences, keep in contact with family and friends, and organise their social lives. Social networking services are a reality and an opportunity. They offer services for the working professionals, for young kids, for the retired, for the medical workers or the holiday travellers.

Social networking sites are a place where creative online content is thriving. Sharing content is now easy, while creating content also gives users the power to make an active choice about their cultural and informational environment.

Users can shape information and create new forms of art.

Do you have a profile too?

* In 2008, the use of social networks in Europe grew by 35%.
* 56% of 'online Europeans' visited social networking sites in 2008.
* On average, European users spent 3 hours per month on social networking sites according to comscore.com.

Europe-based sites are doing well

* Habbo Hotel (Finland-based): 80 million members
* Skyrock & Dailymotion (France-based): combined membership of 29 million users
* Netlog (Belgium-based): 17 million members
* Badoo & Faceparty (UK-based): combined membership of 15 million users

Why is the Commission active in this area?

* Because social networking sites represent economic opportunities for the European industry, and offer the whole society new ways to communicate and express creativity.
* Because social networking sites raise new issues with regard to privacy and the protection of minors.

Source European Commission-Information Society

More information European Commission-Information Society

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