Internet 101

Using the Internet to communicate

The Internet isn't just about finding information. It's also about connecting with friends, family, and people you've never met before. Today, there are many different ways to communicate online, including social networking, chat, VoIP, and blogging.

Social networking

A Facebook newsfeed

Social networking has become one of the main ways people keep in touch. Below are a few of the most popular social networking sites:

• Facebook is used by about 1 billion people. If you have family or friends who live far away, you can use Facebook to keep up with their lives. You can also share things you've found online that interest you.
• Twitter lets you share brief messages (or "tweets") with the entire world or with just your circle of friends. By following people with similar interests, you can discover new things you wouldn't have found otherwise.
• LinkedIn is a site you can use for business networking. It allows you to connect with other people in your field and discover new job opportunities.

Chat and instant messaging

Chat and instant messaging programs allow you to have conversations with your friends or just write them a quick note. Two examples are Yahoo! Messenger and Microsoft Messenger. Some sites, such as Gmail and Facebook, allow you to chat within your browser.

A conversation using Gmail's built-in chat

VoIP

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), allows you to have telephone service through your Internet connection. Some services also let you do video conferencing, such as Skype and Facebook Video Calling. Many of these services are free or very inexpensive, and some people use them as a replacement for a landline or simply to save minutes on their mobile phones.

Using a video conferencing program

Blogs

Today, the average user has the ability to shape the Web by adding to it. If you have knowledge or interests you're passionate about, you can create your own blog and share your thoughts with the world.

There are many sites like blogger.com and wordpress.com that let you create a blog for free. You don't need any web design experience—most of the technical stuff has already been created for you, and you can choose a predesigned template that has the look and feel that you want.

An example of a blog

To learn more about communicating online, check out our Beyond Email and Blog Basics tutorials.