Social Networking

What are some ways (corporate and otherwise) that these technologies can be used? 
1. PR - companies, brands, celebrities, etc can use twitter, facebook and other social networking sites as a good PR source. Good way to keep in touch with customers and fans. Also lets your readers read what you want them to read. You are the source of information, you are in control. 
2. Corporate - a large corporation can use a social networking site to keep all their employees from all the different departments and segments of the company linked. Helps everyone stay on top of everything that is going on within the company, this way everyone is in the loop about everything. 
3. Job - twitter can be your job. Companies will higher you to tweat for them, this is looked at as a new form of customer service and PR. 
More info view entire article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/21/fashion/21whiz.html?_r=1
Also there are companies and places that post job offerings on twitter. Surprisingly you can find a job on twitter! 
For more info view the entire article: 
http://www.cio.com/article/497918/Twitter_Tips_How_to_Find_Job_Posts_on_Twitter
4. The list does not end her, it goes on and on and on, and it is only expanding as time goes on. 


What are the benefits of these technologies to society? Be specific. Is there a "dark side"? 
Yes, there are many benefits but there are also many drawbacks. There is definitely a "dark side" to these technologies. 
Benefits = easy to use and resourceful. Makes keeping in touch with people from all over very easy and inexpensive. 
Dark side = people become obsessed. Waste of time. Becomes useless and pointless after a while. A large majority of tweets are becoming "pointless babble" information that is just dumb (example I just ate a sandwich - no one really cares!!) 
For more information view entire article: http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.80c182849ca932a32a5eda49e4fe1b02.3b1&show_article=1


Opinion of the way these technologies might evolve in the future.
I believe that these technologies are only going to grow and expand in the future. The younger generations are growing up with these technologies and social networking sites- its all they know! They don't understand what it means to call a persons house, speak to their mother or brother and hope that they are around to pick up the phone. They are used to tweeting from their cel phones and updating their facebook statuses! 
The epidemic is only going to get more and more out of hand until it is an uncontrollable force that takes over our lives!