The obvious answer is "to communicate". However, I'm looking for some very specific points as to why people spend so much time communicating on social networks.
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1. Socialize
Social networks are great way to meet new people and make new friends. I have made a bunch of good friends through social networking sites.
2. Finding & being in touch with old friends & family
Social networking sites are really helpful in finding old friends. I personally use facebook to find childhood friends, old classmates and old friends whom I have lost contact with. I also use it to keep in touch with the old as well as current friends.
3. To Follow the trend
Many people join these sites because their friends or some famous people are doing it and they just want to follow the trend. The biggest examples I can give are celebrities. Okay, there are many fakes, but there are actual celebrities too who are tweeting or using facebook and stuff. You can read about it every day in the newspaper.
4. For time pass
When a person is bored and has nothing to do, he/she can pass the time by chatting or meeting new people on social networking sites
5. Promotion/Advertising
From singers to bloggers, you can find all kind of professionals and business owners advertising their music, bands, brands, products, blogs, websites, or whatever they do or sell. Most of these people are spending so much time on social networks for promoting of whatever they do or sell only. They don’t have any interest in communicating. They send friend requests to unknown people and try to get some free publicity, that’s it.
6. Getting visitors to blogs/sites
Many webmasters and bloggers spend time on social networking sites to get some visitors to their blogs/sites.
7. Get referrals/customers
Affiliate marketers spend time on social networks to get some potential referrals/customers by place their affiliate links in their profiles or tweets.
8. For fun
Whether it be teenagers looking to have some fun or perverts looking to have some fun, social networks are great places to have some fun.
9. Live as a different person (/personality)
I have observed many people who are very silent or extremely introvert in real life to be totally opposite online. They come out from their protective hood and freely live online as a total different personality. On social networks, they become whatever they want and can’t be in real life. They interact a lot and make lots of friends online.
10. Learn English and communication skills
This might be the odd one. But I have read somewhere that many Asians join social networks to participate in forums or communities to improve their English and communication skills (written).
