A
social networking service is an
online service, platform, or site that focuses on facilitating the building of
social networks or
social relations among people who, for example, share interests, activities, backgrounds, or real-life connections. A social network service consists of a representation of each user, his/her social links, and a variety of additional services. Most social network services are
web-based and provide means for users to interact over the
Internet, such as
e-mail and
instant messaging.
Online community services are sometimes considered as a social network service, though in a broader sense, social network service usually means an individual-centered service whereas
online community services are group-centered. Social networking sites allow users to share ideas, activities, events, and interests within their individual networks.