Many are amazed by the growth and broad range that social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace have achieved. Others will argue that this large population of people degrades the personal connection and experience that one can feel. The opportunity to do so is not lost. If you are ever so inclined to brainstorm and act, you have the power to create your own personalized social network. The nest part is, you can do it for free. All you need is a little motivation and the desire to make things happen.

There are existing sites now with platforms that allow you to build your own network. You get all of the tools needed to start the process and begin your dream. These sites that provide this service are named "white label" providers. This is meant to describe the providers intent to be as transparent as possible to the social network’s users. You also have the ability to brand the network with your preferred identity or intent. It doesn't get any better than this. How would you like to be the next Mark Zuckerberg BUT with a leg-up on the competition?

Here is a listing of some of the popular platform providers out there now. Feel free to take a look and experiment on your own.

Ning

KickApps

CrowdVine

GoingOn 

These sites only require a valid email address and some quick information to get started. There is the usual caveat that you cannot host any content that is derogatory, illicit, or illegal.

If you try them out and have any feedback you would like to share, please comment here.