Bob at Tech Consumer is noting the recent article in the Economist suggesting that Social Networks are about to dethrone “sex” as the top item of internet interest. The interesting graph notes that where sex stuff is becoming a smaller fraction of the total internet searches, social networking items are moving higher and higher.
In one sense this is a bit misleading. One of the key drivers of social networking is “dating” and meeting people, so it’s fair to say that what we might call “primal urges” are still the top search theme online. But it’s probably encouraging that the porn economy is growing *less fast* than the social online economy, which continues to explode. (Porn segment is growing but not as fast as the social economy segment of online traffic – and also probably economic – activity).
What’s going on with this? It’s really not surprising at all that socializing online is a very powerful part of the online experience. The internet is about people more than it’s about technology, and people tend to be very interested in …. other people.
Joe Duck 
I agree Joe.. I’m not sure what the hubbub is about. Socializing online is what makes ‘online’ so popular after all. Geez, remember the early days of walled-in, online service provider AOL? Those chat rooms -and the people inside them- were too numerous to count.
How to teen fair on this myspace subject, who’s responsibility is it for keeping a watch on predators? Is is my space, parents? How can we better protect our kids? With that being said in my view parents must be vigilant in watching there kids computer activity and who there are talking with, whether it is spy software or there password to site like myspace or myspaceforteens it comes down to the parents.
John I do remember AOL chat and have to admit I did not see at the time how online superficial conversation would become a key cornerstone of the future internet.
Claude I agree parents are the primary responsible party, but one of the challenges is that for most parents filters and monitoring are *far* beyond their abilities. IMHO the online community has a bigger responsibility than many of us acknowledge to help keep dangerous people from being able to use the internet to prey on young people. Unlike a lot of onliners I favor basic legal regulations that will help reduce the ease with which internet can be used to prey on kids.
This story has moved, here’s the updated location:
http://www.techconsumer.com/2007/04/20/social-networking-dethroning-sex-in-terms-of-online-traffic/
Thx Bob, changed above..