A world of connections

The Economist recently published a special report on Social Networking which if you have the time is well worth reading. c
Called "A world of connections" the reports looks at the growth of social networks and some of the issues that arise from their use. From the introduction to the report:

"This special report will examine these issues in detail. It will argue that social networks are more robust than their critics think, though not every site will prosper, and that social-networking technologies are creating considerable benefits for the businesses that embrace them, whatever their size. Lastly it will contend that this is just the beginning of an exciting new era of global interconnectedness that will spread ideas and innovations around the world faster then ever before"

If you don't want to report the full report at once, you don't have to as the Economist have conveniently made the individual articles available on their site, the articles are:

• A world of connections Online social networks are changing the way people communicate, work and play, and mostly for the better (Martin Giles)
• Why social networks have grown so fast
• Twitter’s transmitters The magic of 140 characters
• Profiting from social networks Social networks have a better chance of making money than their critics think
• Small businesses and social networks Small businesses are using networks to become bigger
• Yammering away at the office A distraction or a bonus?
• Social contracts The smart way to hire workers
• Privacy 2.0 Give a little, take a little
• The future of social networking
• Sources and acknowledgments