Despite the fact that most social networking sites encourage users to construct true profiles of themselves, participants do this at a contrast of levels.
Controversy surrounds the idea of authenticity as it refers to profiles.
Users on many sites have complex strategies they use to negotiate in building their profiles, while others never have real profiles of themselves.
A lot of sites force validity by requesting things such as a real photo instead of a drawing.
On the other hand, the extent of which items submitted are authentic or playful varies across sites.
It is concluded through research that most social networking sites first and foremost support pre-existing relationships.
Many sites such as Facebook are used to maintain existing offline relationships or make solid old relationships as opposed to meeting new people.
The relationships may have weak links for many reasons, but typically there is an element among the individual such as a shared school or class that links them.
Many reports support the fact that most users engage in searching for people whom they have an offline connection with than rather than browse for complete strangers to meet.
It is also noted that most teenagers who use social networking sites do so to connect with friends.
Social media sites have become deeply embedded in the everyday lives of users.
It serves as an outlet of varied communication throughout the world and the connection of people in all social settings.
It is therefore evident that through connecting individuals to one another, social networking has obviously become an integral part of everyday life for most people.