Social networking websites were ###### for connecting with friends ###### family. People can create ###### on these sites. They ###### chat and send messages. ###### can also post photos, ###### and links.

More and ###### people use these websites ###### year. Some people think ###### is a good thing. ###### say social networking is ###### good way keep in ######. They think these websites ###### people find and share ######.

Others disagree.]]>
The First Social Media Websites

SixDegrees.com was ###### first social networking website. ###### existed from 1997 to ######. Other websites like it ###### followed.

Facebook was one. ###### was started in 2004. ######, it is the most ###### social networking site. By ######, 1 in 7 people ###### the world had joined ######.]]>
At first, ###### was just for college ######. Soon it allowed anyone ###### join, though. By 2014, ###### Facebook users were between ###### and 34 years old. ######, Facebook is getting more ###### who are 55 and ######.

Political Activity Online

World leaders use social ######, too. It has become ###### big part of elections ###### the U.S.]]>
The White ###### started using social networking ###### 2009. It joined Facebook, ######, YouTube and a few ###### popular sites. President Barack ###### said doing this would ###### the government more open ###### creative.

Other leaders seemed ###### agree. By 2011, 35 ###### leaders had Twitter accounts.

Organizing Protest Movements

###### networking has also helped ###### who are protesting against ###### leaders. In 2010, the ###### Spring began. It was ###### series of protests led ###### people in the Middle ###### and North Africa.]]>
The Scary Side Of Socializing Online

###### say social networking has ###### new problems. Companies worry ###### their workers using these ######. Some employees need it ###### do their jobs. Others ###### just wasting time.

Social ###### may put people at ######. In 2012, 7 million ###### that use Facebook reported ###### problem.]]>
Useless Distractions?

These websites can also ###### students. In 2015, a ###### was published. It said ###### first-year college students were ###### two hours a day ###### Facebook. This caused their ###### to drop.

Today, social ###### are growing. They are ###### available to users. Their ###### say this is good.]]>
On the ###### side, people aren't so ######. They worry that social ###### wastes too much time. ###### also think it presents ###### dangers.]]>