Is distance an issue when it comes to online games?

Certainly, in games such as World of Warcraft and Halo, you don't need to be geographically close to your teammates or opponents in order to have fun. Players of these online video games span the nation and even the world. All they need is a common language and a headset to understand each other.

However, in the world of social networks, it's a bit different. While the goal of social websites like Facebook is to connect people to others, the user's personal goal is closer to furthering relationships with their friends. Distance becomes an issue in this case because people prefer to attend events with those who live in close proximity. Going to the movies with a friend that lives halfway across the country isn't exactly a piece of cake. The digital and real lives that people lead are still connected, and social networks need to realize the necessity of subnetworks based on location.

The new iPhone software allows applications to use the phone's location to help locate people with the same interests, activities, etc. around the user. However, two of the biggest networks--Facebook and MySpace--failed to take advantage of this feature. It will most likely cost them dearly, as soaring gas prices and summer heat deter people from venturing too far away from their turf.