People are, by definition, social creatures. Filipinos, however, go a step beyond. It's rare for Filipinos to lose touch with long-time friends, geographical distance, being the only factor to be considered here. With the internet, however, finding long-lost friends in this big world of ours has become simpler, more meaningful and fun.
Most Filipinos who are using at least *one* social network finds that, the new line for communication does NOT actually replace the actual friendships they have, but it complements it. Here's a list of the top 5 most popular social networks for Filipinos.
24Ever - A new-comer, and a still-growing network, with its barkada-centric (circle of friends) design captures the "one-up" spirit of the Filipino. People join
24Ever in groups, and are most likely there to prove that THEIR group of friends have the best fun, best activities, best members ... just the BEST. With its bright, colorful design, it captures the playfulness of groups that join it. It also helps that there's a prize incentive for the group of friends who are deemed "most active uploaders."
Plurk - It's supposed to be a microblogging site, right? But since its initial launch just this June, the microblogging site has exploded into avenues for instant-output of ideas. The social network features are there if you look hard enough: it has a "friends" feature, privacy settings, a "clique" feature and group discussion. Isn't that what social networks are made of? Plus, the karma unlocks are an addictive virtual incentive that will leave you watching your timeline for HOURS.
Facebook - Back in 2006, Facebook membership was exclusive per invite, and it was supposed to be for students in campuses to get in touch with each other. The open platform for application development has spawned several addictive apps that are both fun AND social. If you've never gotten a poke from that highschool crush, or played pirates with your
kapitbahay (neighbor), then you're probably not getting the appeal.
Multiply - If social photos are your thing, then Multiply is a little bit friendlier than, say, Flickr? Just the right site to show off those new baby photos for your relatives who are far away. Most Filipino users are finding that setting up online stores THEMSELVES make it easier for them to monitize on their hobbies, and they get to meet new people too!
Friendster - The one that started it all. (In the Philippines, anyway.) Back in 2003, the creators of Friendster noticed surges in traffic in the hours between 3 AM --- which, converted to GMT +8 time, was equivalent to noontime in several South East Asia countries, most specifically the Philippines. It was a big deal --- and it still is now, as some of the people who have gathered hundreds and hundreds of friends in Friendster since it was introduced are still reluctant to leave their groups behind.
