Throughout the year millions of people created social networking accounts that allowed them to communicate with friends, family and complete strangers; purchased phones that were just as powerful as their computers and laptops; and downloaded apps that gave them the ability to do almost anything. One of the biggest buzz terms of 2009 was “real time” – people were suddenly able to learn all about anything, while it was actually happening.

Social Networking was massively popular in 2009, and several networking sites grew by amazing proportions. Facebook started the year with about 150 million users, and ended with more than 350 million. There are now more people using Facebook than there are people living in the United States. Twitter also experienced a tremendous surge in users, and perhaps an unprecedented dedication. When Twitter was down for a few hours in August, ardent tweeters claimed they were extremely upset and felt naked without the service.

At the start of 2009, PeopleFinders released our predictions for the top search trends of the year. Our number one prediction stated that people would no longer tolerate slow search results. We also predicted that people would want access to a broader range of data. These were defining elements of 2009; people all over the world demanded a larger scope of information, and they wanted it immediately.

Over the last year PeopleFinders worked hard to help set the pace of advanced technology. We’ve proudly offered 24/7 access to vital details about people and businesses throughout America. We created new sources of useful information, and ensured that this information is available whenever you want it. Our new websites and iPhone apps, Are They Really Single and Stud Or Dud, have helped people across the country discover valuable facts about individuals that they might be interested personally or professionally. We have even more in store for 2010.

The hottest tech trend of 2010 will be advancements in technology that give people instant knowledge and change the way they communicate. We’ll be able to send and receive information faster than ever, and find any data we need using a single device. Existing technology, like Google Wave, is likely to become extremely popular in the new year. The Wave will allow you to communicate with people faster than ever. You won’t even have to wait for someone to finish a sentence anymore; you’ll be able to see every keystroke in real time. And you can bet people will be using Google Wave on their smart phones.

As we prepare for a new year, PeopleFinders promises to remain on the cusp of new technology that will benefit you. Our Social Profile Search will help you keep track of all the profiles, blogs and status updates people maintain on dozens of networking sites. Our products will help you find important facts about individuals and businesses instantly. Our mobile technology will give you the data you need from wherever you are.

We’re looking forward to a bright and prosperous new year, filled with intriguing technological advancements that will put a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips. PeopleFinders will be here whenever you need us; ready to provide you with all the facts you need to reunite with long lost friends and family, make well informed decisions and stay connected to your world. Here’s to an exciting new year; and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.

Do employers check up on your
social networking sites?

Do you blog, tweet, post bulletins or inform people about your current moods and activities online? If so, then you’re part of the worldwide sensation known as social networking. Whether your social network of choice is MySpace, Facebook, Twitter or all of the above, anything you put on these sites says a lot about you – maybe more than you’d like.

A recent survey taken by thousands of social networkers revealed that a large number of people are embarrassed by their online profiles. Many of these people would not want coworkers or employers to find them on social networking sites, because their pictures, comments or other content may be inappropriate.  Anyone who is wary of a personal profile should be careful; it’s easy to find most anyone online these days. A Social Network Search locates the profiles anyone has all over the Web, and people are looking.

Every employer does a little research before hiring a new person, and one of the newest ways to find out more about prospective employees is to look at their social profiles. Modern hiring managers are scouring the web to see what they can find out about people who are being considered for any job. Many of these managers admit that if they don’t like what they see on your profiles, you may not get hired.

Job applicants aren’t the only ones being affected by their social networking habits. Major companies across the globe are participating in Network Monitoring; actively checking the online profiles their employees maintain. The general feeling is that people who work for a company represent it at all times, even when they’re off the clock.

Some companies, such as the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) have published “Rules of Conduct” for their employees to follow when using sites like Facebook and Twitter. These rules are intended to ensure that no staff member posts anything that could be embarrassing or damaging to the company, and include comments such as “Business and pleasure should not be mixed on services like Twitter” and “Common sense should prevail, but if you are in doubt about the appropriateness of a Tweet or posting, discuss it with your editor before sending”.

WSJ is not alone. Other corporations and even government agencies are investigating people’s social networking habits. You have the right to post whatever you want about yourself on social networks, but the people you work for (or hope to work for) have the right to decide that the image you project is not right for their company. It’s a touchy subject, and one that we’ll be watching closely as personal and professional worlds start to collide in the social networking stratosphere. Just remember that when you update your profiles, friends and family may not be the only ones watching.

What do you think? Should employers have the right to judge people based on what they post to social network sites? Leave us a comment to share your opinions, and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders.com People Search blog.

MySpace Vs. Facebook
In the struggle to grab and keep the attention of the American public, MySpace and Facebook remain the 2 biggest warriors on the scene. MySpace had been the top dog of the social networking community, but in the last year Facebook closed the gap and gained an impressive lead. According to an analysis by The Nielsen Company, Facebook is now the #1 social network in the U.S., although MySpace still outranks them in one category. Nielsen statistics show that MySpace is around 3 times more popular than Facebook for online videos.

Facebook is currently considered to be the King of all social networks, but another site may soon be nipping at its heels:

Twitter Is The Word
Twitter me this: Are people excited about having a fun way to send and receive messages of 140 characters or less? The answer is an overwhelming yes. In the last year Twitter boasted a staggering 1,382 percent growth rate, and Neilsen places the site distinctly in the #1 spot for fastest growing social network of 2009. It seems everyone from the biggest celebrity to the new kid in town is sending tweets to anyone who is interested in following them.

People are constantly jumping on the Twitter bandwagon, but they aren’t always sticking around for the ride. More people are abandoning their Twitter accounts than continuing to use them. This type of networking may not be for everyone, but the figures show that this site continues to grow. At PeopleFinders.com, we love Twitter and invite you to follow our tweets.

Keep It All Together
People tweet, blog, post videos, upload pictures and express themselves on dozens of social networks all over the World Wide Web. It’s a great way to keep up with friends and family, but you could spend massive amounts of time trying to locate their accounts and watch for updates. There is an easier way; a Social Networks Search finds all the profiles people have on popular sites and shows you previews of each one. It’s quickly becoming the most popular way to stay connected online.

Social Networking sites continue to fight for dominance of the Internet community, but that may be an impossible goal in our ever-changing world. A few years ago Friendster was known as the leading social network, but since then several sites have enjoyed that distinction. Networkers can be enticed by something innovative and exciting, and when a large number of people jump on a new social networking site, many others are bound to follow.

Thank you for reading the PeopleFinders.com People Search blog!