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Good slideshare on the future of social networks when applied to social reality. Shows both the benefits and the creepy parts. Is there a line at which society will say, "no more?"

NYU professor and Internet thinker Clay Shirky gave a talk Tuesday at the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy, our friends just on the other side of Harvard Square. His subject was the future of accountability journalism in a world of declining newspapers.

Probably the most important reading we will do in terms of "foundations" of social networks. Take your time with it and read it closely.

"Social network sites (SNSs) are increasingly attracting the attention of academic and industry researchers intrigued by their affordances and reach. This special theme section of the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication brings together scholarship on these emergent phenomena. In this introductory article, we describe features of SNSs and propose a comprehensive definition. We then present one perspective on the history of such sites, discussing key changes and developments. After briefly summarizing existing scholarship concerning SNSs, we discuss the articles in this special section and conclude with considerations for future research."

"So much for "free" as the future of business - as far as Ning goes, anyway. The company accepted hundreds of millions of dollars from investors, and they apparently want more of a return than Ning is able to provide as a free service."

"In this week's podcast, Hal Niedzviecki, writer, culture commentator, editor and publisher of Broken Pencil magazine, muses on the current 'peep culture' and the future of reading."

"What purpose does it serve to notify your friends that you're out on the town but to hide the location? And what does it tell us about the future of location-based services & privacy? This was the question I set out to answer by surveying nearly 500 Foursquare users."

FAQ with fine print and messy details of new Ning plans. Possible sponsorship for grades school educators in future.

How it works, what it means, impacts on the future of the Facebook news feed / live feed split. From RWW.

Normally I hate stupid blog lists, but this one is better than most. Brief introductions to different social media trends - useful for class.

The business models of social networks could rely on an ignorance towards privacy from their users, experts say. But recent research indicates normal Facebook users have begun altering their privacy settings to control the information people (and potentially advertisers) can see, which could affect the ability of social networks to make money.