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Social network sites (SNS) are sticky simply because they mirror social activities taking place in the real world. Far from being substitutes for real life interaction, the stickiness of SNS hinges upon existing personal relationships. From buying friends a round of drinks to sending gifts, SNS activities such as these are often undertaken by people in person. Additionally, they also help to expose the long-lost connections in our real lives. I'm constantly "rediscovering" old friends whom I've lost touch with for several years after I left school.

As someone who is far away from home, I can't imagine not having something like Facebook. Not only am I able to stay in touch with folks back home, I'm also fed with news and photos from events that my friends have attended and the countries they've visited. During my time here, several of my friends got married and through Facebook, I was able to convey my wishes to them. The pictures they've posted also gave me an idea of how their weddings were like. I guess this urge to know what my friends are doing back home is what makes SNS so sticky.

I have to admit that some applications in SNS such as Facebook have a short shelf life if you will, especially after the novelty wears off. There are many Facebook applications out there trying to capitalize on the popularity of the social network site. Most of them will try to get you to involve your friends in the same application, so you'll see how you rank among your friends in terms of the looks department, for example. This is particularly sticky among people who are obsessed with building their social capital within their circle of friends.