Social Networks Black Day…

Social networks are in the news today. First up, lawyers have been permitted to serve debtors with default judgments through Facebook. Article here. This is timely considering my plea yesterday for the online world to be viewed with more validity than it has been in the past (I’m on the phone to my web-estate agent as we speak.  “Buy up!”.  Sorry, did I say that out loud?)

Also some 1.3 million users will stage a ‘blackout’ protest tonight and turn off Facebook to draw attention to their dissatisfaction about recent changes to the site.

And to top it all off, LinkedIn is offline because it is upgrading the site.  I hope that LinkedIn users will like the changes the folks there have made.  I’d hate to see a candlelight vigil or hunger strike over its alterations.  Who knows, the 1.3million Facebook protesters could have another gig on their hands.

Social networking sites like Facebook are integrating into the fabric of our careers and personal lives.  No longer can they be viewed as a Gen Y distraction.  They are an essential tool for communication, both formal and informal.  Next time you get a Facebook invitation, do not toss it away with an OldManScrooge-like Hmmmph & Phooey…or else you may be all alone in Christmasses to come.