Know where to find long lost friends using the internet

Social networking has become a tremendous contemporary tool, with the power to solidify social bonds and unite friends and families around the world.  Social networking sites such as Facebook have given users the place where to find long lost friends, reconnect with people from the past, and even share memories through images and videos that can be easily uploaded with just the click of a button.

When it comes to searching for old friends, relatives, classmates or colleagues on Facebook, it may help to familiarize yourself with the concept of Six Degrees of Separation, in order to understand the value of leveraging your social connectivity in order to find long lost friends.  

For example, if you can’t immediately find a particular long lost friend you are searching for, begin by searching for friends you had in common, interests you shared, or geographic areas such as home towns or neighborhoods.  Eventually, through the process of searching for old friends on Facebook, you will begin to realize how social circles intersect. 

How to Find Long Lost Friends on Facebook:

The first and most important step to finding long lost friends on Facebook is setting up a Facebook account.  Once you have established a profile, take a closer look at the navigation panel on the right side of your Facebook screen, where you will find a tab labeled ?Get Connected.?  Facebook will even give you a list of friends you might know, based on common home-towns, schools, companies, other mutual friends or additional criteria. 

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If you already have a specific e-mail address, for an old friend, it is easy to get connected by clicking either the ?Find Friends? or ?Invite Friends? tab under the ?Edit Friends? tab on the right hand side of your home page.  Enter your friend’s e-mail address, and Facebook will do the hard part of searching the internet for a matching profile.

Other Sources for Finding Old Classmates, Friends, and Relatives Through the Internet

Of course, not everyone is on Facebook, and some people are more private, preferring to avoid Facebook and social network sites all together.  If you suspect this may be the case, but are still eager to track down an old buddy, here are some other suggestions to find long lost friends.

One of the simplest ways to search for the name of a long lost comrade is to enter the person?s full name in Google or any other search engine browser, and use quotes to surround the first and last name; so that the entire name is searched, like “Joe Smith”.  If the individual is listed in a phone book, the phone book listing will typically pop up.

Many web sites do offer people searches and limited personal information free.  However some websites do advertise the promise of more extensive information, such as background checks, home purchase information, salary information, marriage and divorce records on an individual, in exchange for a membership or subscription fee. 

Take the time to research the credibility of such websites before authorizing any financial transactions. Yahoo’s People Search, PeopleFinders.com and Intelius.com have been ranked as some of the most legitimate ways to find long lost friends.