SOCIAL NETWORKING GOES MOBILE

“Picture this: a young woman goes to a party. She doesn't know anyone but it's fine because she has her mobile with her. A few clicks and she accesses the profiles of a dozen people at the party, including their pictures. She's in luck: two of them turn out to be friends of friends. She messages them and they start to chat.”

With this paragraph the author Mike Harvey starts his article “The future of social networking (SN): mobile phones”, which was posted in May 2008. As per opinion of the author, social networking via mobiles is the next step after the internet based social networking (MySpace, Facebook).
As an example of a company who provides SN via mobiles, the author refers to “aka- aki”, which is based in Berlin. This company brought internet and GPS/ Bluetooth technologies together and created the application which allows its users to define the location of “aka-aki” users just from their mobile phones. In other words, the user who has an app on his mobile phone, gets the signal when someone from “aka-aki” mutual friends or other members are nearby. Then, the user can check the profile of the person, look to the interests, send a message, etc.
In 2008 “aka- aki” had 3,000 members. This number increased up to 500,000 members in March 2010, and up to 600,000 in September 2010. And "aka-aki" is not the only one who offers this service. The famous Facebook, Twitter , MySpace also have defined this trend and are now growing rapidly from having strong mobile strategies.

Statistics provided by comScore, Inc, a leader in measuring the digital world, about the changes in mobile browser accesses to social networks from January 2009 to January 2010, just confirms the rapid growth of mobile based SN popularity:
– 30% of smart phone users accessed social networks via mobile browsers — this was up from 22.5% in 2009.
- Total social networking access via mobile browsers on all mobile phones rose to 11.1% — this was up from 6.5% in 2009. Most of this growth was in the uptick in smart phone usage.

In anticipation of the growing demand for phones that support social networking functions, all mobile companies are working on the new generation of mobile phones. Already in the near future, phones are about to replace PC and laptop exclusivity of online social networking.

So, what makes mobile based SN popular? The answer is easy, it is more convenient.

For individuals, like you and me, the greatest advantage is to have our network in our “pocket”. We can enter SN sites easier, faster anytime and anywhere. We do not need to go home or to work to our PCs to be “connected” with others. Another advantage of mobiles is the possibility to identify location of callers. Last, but not least it is a trend, it is “cool” and it is fun for us. Especially young people are happy to follow this electronic fashion.

For companies, it is a new advertisement opportunity. Mobile users are logged in more often than web users, because it is so much more convenient. YOC Mobile Advertising Ltd., which is focused on the development of the Mobile Advertising market (UK) believes that “mobile phones do not only have a number of technical features but they are also by far the most personal medium, which allows to address users anytime and anyplace by individual multi-media targeting methods”. One of the “individual multi-media targeting methods” is social networking. Each SN service provider can draw a picture about each and every member, just based on profiles, interest, pictures and comments. It gives a huge advantage to the companies to understand the trends, the interests of people. Thus, to address more accurately the needs of their customers.

Moving the social network to mobiles is a great technological progress. But is there any disadvantage for us as individuals?

It depends how sensitive we are about our privacy. Technically mobile phones are equipped with inbuilt cameras, microphones, GPS , internet and many other features. That means that mobile phones can be used as sensors to identify our location, trace our daily routes and more and more. The rest is provided by ourselves on each and every moment we are using SN. Over the time a full fletch profile about our habits, consuming behavior, travel destinations, preferred products etc will be available. Can we be sure that no one is misusing all the information about us? No, we can´t, but so far we take it easy.
Although we are more or less aware that private data are collected, combined and personal profiles are defined in huge databases, we tend to ignore these risks for the sake to enjoy more SN.

Summarizing all above, there is no doubt that SN will go mobile. SN has already entered its next evolutionary stage, not because of technological progress, but because people want it.

Sources:
1. The article “The future of social networking: mobile phones”, May 2008. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3897340.ece
2. http://eu.techcrunch.com/2010/03/16/mobile-social-network-aka-aki-hits-500000-members/
3. http://www.worldtech24.com/gps/aka-aki-600000-members-social-network-and-soon-game
4. http://mashable.com/2010/03/03/comscore-mobile-stats/
5. http://group.yoc.com/uk/
6. http://blog.7touchgroup.com/2010/01/lg-gw620-brings-social-networking-via-mobile-phones-to-a-new-level/
7. The article “Social Networking goes mobile by Li Yuan and Rebecca Buckman, April 4 2006 “; Wall Street Journal online.
8. The article “Four billion little brothers? Privacy, mobile phones and ubiquitous data collection” by Kate Shilton; communication of the ACM; November 2009.
9. Article “Social engagement” by Sean Hargrave; nma.co.uk; March 2011.