Hi, this is Ginny live-blogging from Social Networking Systems at the NetSquared conference. Where do we start with the hot topic of social networks in one hour?

Like a lot of the sessions today, this was a chance to throw out some ideas, answer some questions and pose thoughts for next steps on how to use social networks to make change.

The best point made in the session is that to understand any community - whether an online social network or an offline grassroots group - we have to listen to our audience and appreciate the unique culture that any community has. Since only a small part of our community is sitting in this room, consider these points below as open questions for your answers and ideas.

Some context: Ami opens by seeing how the audience uses social networks. If you look around the room, almost everyone has at least one profile on a social networking sites. Fewer belong to MySpace, more to LinkedIn.

There are 4 general themes that came out of the session as a starting point for future conversations & action:

1) How do organizations, companies, causes and individuals use social networks to promote their efforts and brands? Ideas:

Ginger emphasizes that the YouthNoise strategy is to develop content and become a youth media outlet - rather than develop new social networking technology. Participatory media is how young people relate to technology.

Bobsuggests participating along with social networks: use a few tools strategically, take your own attributes, look at personal interests and skills then present yourself in a way you're comfortable [i.e. use social networks to get your brand out]. Define yourself or your project purposefully and genuinely. You have to find advocates and give them something to identify with that makes them a symbol for your cause.Let go of your brand, and if you give your advocates/audience parameters in which to work, it should come back stronger and better.

2) How are social networks being used effectively to make social change? Ideas:

All agree that we need to look to the immigration demonstrations to see how young people used technology like MySpace to organize, and how they mobilized their peers in the greatest national social action since Vietnam.

3) What are the best ways for offline social networks [i.e. campuses, cause-related communities] to go online?

There's general agreement that no social networking tools are perfect, but it's not worth the investment to try to develop your own tools. Instead, consider the concepts of cross-pollination to utilize existing technology like Facebook to get alumni connected while also developing your own community tools. You can provide a lightweight set of tools for social networking without developing a full platform.

4) What are new technologies and trends for social networks?
Identity mobility -- for more, Check out more on IdentityWoman

Access for people with disabilities: All panelists are optimistic about having tools ready soon and look to the progress that has been made already with accessibility.

It sounds like there's a digital divide on social networks, and there needs to be a simple manual or list of easy steps to help organizations making social change utilize social networks in easy ways.

Closing ideas on MySpace and young social networks: This is a constituency that is organizing itself and paying attention to culture. We're doing a bad job of being conscious organizers of these communities. Maybe you put your interns on social networking sites. If we want to create social change, then it has to be something that's shaped by the youth. It's about finding out what people care about already, not necessarily imposing a cause onto an existing social network

Jump into this mishmosh of ideas.... we're all ears and ready for action.