Online Social Networking Blurs Line between Charity & Profit

TechSoup is offering a two-day event focusing on what they are calling "online social networking."  These are networks where the whole point of social interaction is: social interaction.  What implications do these groups have for nonprofit organizations?  The initial post offers a "comprehensive" list of the online social networks (below). 

The nonprofit connection with these groups will certainly be worth ongoing attention.  The "Care2" group, for example, appears to be a privately held organization that nevertheless "partners" with various nonprofit organizations.  Their management team has a history of involvement with various ventures that straddle the for-profit/non-profit divide (e.g. health & fitness, health newsletters, environmental engineerings, public television). 

PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING
www.linkedin.com
www.ryze.com

GENERAL SOCIAL NETWORKS
www.tribe.net
www.friendster.com
www.orkut.com

PRIMARILY YOUTH AUDIENCE
www.myspace.com
www.tagged.com ;
www.tagworld.com

COMMUNITIES FOCUSED AROUND IMAGES
www.flickr.com
www.textamerica.com
www.yafro.com

VALUES ORIENTED
www.care2connect.com - Progressive-value and activist focused.
www.gather.com - Public Radio and social issue focused.
www.xianz.com – Christian focused

OTHER
www.last.fm - Music-oriented OSN
www.facebook.com – College-oriented OSN
www.everyonesconnected.com – British-based OSN