Radical changes in the world economic markets did not leave the social networking industry immune. With venture capital firms severely restraining investments in the space, many social networks have found themselves in an exposed position. Ad to this the sharp drop in advertising rates, the advertising model, once held as the prime business model of many SN firms, have challenged these firms.

With September's market price drop, so did the valuations of many Social Networking firms. They have now become buyout targets. Fortune 1000 firms, entrepreneurs and companies once hurt by social networks (such as online dating) are now seeing this as the greatest buying opportunity in the space at this time.