I was talking to a younger cousin the other day and I was surprised at how involved she is in social networking. I was asking her about her friends and activities and a large part of the conversation revolved around her friends whom she met online. I guess I should not have been surprised at all, with the way technology is constantly evolving to become part of our everyday lives.

Social networking, in particular, has reached astronomical heights in popularity. People of all ages and all backgrounds are coming together online, meeting and interacting through various web sites and instant messaging services. Add to this VOIP and you have a complete range of social networking services.

Think back to several years ago – the main way that people interacted online was through text. They sent e-mails back and forth. Offline messages were sent the same way. Real time conversations were conducted by typing messages on the keyboard. When it became possible to chat through voice – thanks to VOIP – communication became even easier. Now, people with “fat fingers” do not have to worry about having to type as fast as they can speak! All they have to do is plug in a headset and chat away.

Years ago, chatting through voice was limited to computer to computer calls. This was (and is) free. All one needs to do is to log in to a chat room or an instant messaging service and make sure that his/her friends do the same. Today, with various platforms offering computer to telephone calls through VOIP, communicating with friends is even made easier. More than that, the communication costs are slashed down to very minimal amounts.

Realizing this benefit that VOIP brings to communications online, social networking web sites are quick to take advantage of it. There are many online dating sites which offer additional features taking advantage of VOIP. For example, an online dating site may offer a feature wherein their members can talk to each other through voice without the members having to disclose their phone numbers immediately. This is particularly significant for individuals who are concerned about their privacy. Other social networking sites have also added widgets wherein a “call me” button can be placed on a member’s profile.

These may seem “little” but looking at the overall picture, one can indeed say that VOIP is changing the landscape of communications in many different aspects.

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