Social Networking and Virtual Worlds

Virtual worlds can be used for both entertainment and in the business world. Virtual worlds are created in order to give the user a fantasy world in which the user can be whatever they want that may not be possible in the real world. Based on the article "IBM Learning Programs Get a ‘Second Life", IBM has created a virtual world that is used to conduct employee orientation and mentoring. This simulated world will work just like in the real world, but give employees a more fun and different experience. IBM employees can be able to interact with each other in the virtual world, even if they are miles apart in the real world. Employees can wear anything from a business suit to a Halloween costume in the virtual world. This creates a more at ease environment for the employee. IBM has created a virtual world that is used to conduct employee orientation and mentoring.

Virtual worlds can bring many people from different parts of the real world into one world, where a person can become anything he/she wishes to be. Virtual worlds may have a dark side in the sense that maybe in the future people will depend on these types of worlds to much. Human interaction in the real world in my opinion is one of the things that make us human and part of life; virtual worlds make it easier to interact because the people are not face to face. But face to face interaction has the human aspect to it because mental and physical emotions play a part in the interaction. Just as the makers Webkinz created a virtual world for their product, in which the user can buy certain items like lip gloss, clothing items, etc; i believe virtual worlds will evolve into a tool used in business to conduct business meetings, as a entertainment factor and as a way to distribute information around the Internet and world.