Imagine, if you will, a crowded dance floor: Men and women are talking, laughing awkwardly and trying to gyrate their rhythmically challenged hips to that Phoenix song that goes “do let, do let, blah blah.”

One lone man ceases undulating to put his lips to the ear of the chick he’s grinding up on. “Hey,” he purrs, “Can I get your Twitter handle?”

We’ve reached that point, folks: the zenith of awkwardness whereby the cables of communication are so plentiful that we are wound in a web of our own making.

In a sense, we have returned to the tangled days of Emily Post-esque courting etiquette — circa 1922 — whereby men left women calling cards and letters of introduction, not actually seeing the women themselves upon delivery, unless it was between 4 and 6 o’clock (yes, these were the actual rules).

Though we no longer carry engraved cards (2¾ to 3½ inches wide by 2 to 2¾ inches high), we do tout around the modern equivalent: a slew of digital identities that potential suitors must circumvent to get to the actual you.

While we admit that fixing the above issue wholesale would require a total brain-scrub of the world’s populace, we are prepared to offer a few date-making tips for all you hopeless (emphasis on the hopeless) romantics.

And so begins my Netiquette column — which I write with my Stuff Hipsters Hate co-blogger, Andrea Bartz — this week over at CNN.

Check out the column at CNN.com >>

image courtesy of iStockphoto, dizign54

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This series is brought to you by HTC EVO 4G, America’s first 4G phone. Only from Sprint. The “First to Know” series keeps you in the know on what’s happening now in the world of social media and technology.

 

Welcome to this morning’s edition of “First To Know,” a series in which we keep you in the know on what’s happening in the digital world today. We’re keeping our eyes on four particular stories of interest today. Google Is Going into Gaming Google is going into social gaming in attempt to win over some of the ad dollars that have gone to social networking sites, sources familiar with the matter have told The Wall Street Journal. The company has reportedly been in talks with top developers like Playdom Inc., which was acquired by Disney this week, as well as Electronic Arts’s Playfish and FarmVille creator Zynga. Checkins Coming to Google In further Google news, the company has indicated that it is working with developers to bring checkins to location-based applications via its Places API. Google Places is the new version of the company’s Local Business Center, designed to help local business owners gain an edge in search engine marketing. Facebook May Put Off IPO Until 2012 Three sources have informed Bloomberg that Facebook may postpone its initial public offering until 2012. “At some point along the path, I think it’ll make sense to have an IPO. But we’re not running the company to do that. We’re running the company to serve more people,” CEO Mark Zuckerberg told ABC’s Diane Sawyer recently. Spotify’s U.S. Launch Faces Further Delays Negotiations between free music streaming service Spotify and U.S. record labels are faring none-too-well; the company is reportedly “back to square one.” The startup is still aiming for a late 2010/early 2011 launch in the U.S. Further News Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer says the company is hard at work making Windows 7 a great OS for tablets; Redbox is adding Blu-ray rentals to its kiosks [via Variety]; Samsung confirms it will the Galaxy S smartphone will get Froyo in September [via Engadget]; and Google dispelled rumors that it was fully blocked in China. Disclosure: Microsoft is a Mashable sponsor.

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Series supported by HTC EVO 4G

 

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This series is brought to you by HTC EVO 4G, America’s first 4G phone. Only from Sprint. The “First to Know” series keeps you in the know on what’s happening now in the world of social media and technology.

More About: facebook, facebook ipo, first to know series, geolocation, Google, google places, spotify

For more Social Media coverage:

• Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter
• Become a Fan on Facebook
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View full post on Mashable!

Facebook may postpone its initial public offering to 2012, Bloomberg has learned from three sources familiar with the matter.

This comes as no surprise as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has always been very careful on the subject. “At some point along the path, I think it’ll make sense to have an IPO. But we’re not running the company to do that. We’re running the company to serve more people,” he said recently.

Facebook’s IPO has been one of the burning topics in business circles in the last couple of years. With the company’s revenue (and valuation) rising swiftly, Facebook () is poised to become the next Google (), whose initial public offering in 2004 was wildly successful, with the company increasing its market capitalization fivefold over the coming years.

Despite the pressure to go public, Facebook’s IPO seems to be pushed further into the future every year. The wait, however, will give 26-year old Zuckerberg more time to gain more users, sort out the privacy issues that have been plaguing Facebook and, most importantly, boost sales and increase earnings.

Congratulations! You’ve rocked another week. In addition to being seven days closer to your inevitable demise, it’s also likely that some critical social media resources slipped through the cracks in your Google Reader.

Worry not. As always, we’ve gathered the goods back up and stashed them here in our weekly super list.

Below, you’ll find the case for a musical MySpace, analysis of location-based sustainability, some social biz tips from the hospitality industry, and much, much more, all for just three easy payments of $29.95.

Just kidding, it’s free!

Social Media

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• Why Facebook Must Get Serious About Privacy
  Facebook’s long list of privacy snafus continue to trouble the network as it sets its sites on web domination. Like Google before it, there are steps to be taken, and lessons to be learned before it can truly become an Internet titan.
• 10 YouTube Videos of People Doing Amazing Things
  Bike stunts, musical feats, and some very fast clapping await you in this cavalcade of jaw-dropping YouTube excitement!
• HOW TO: Send a Real Gift on Facebook
  When flinging a virtual cupcake at your friend just won’t cut it, Facebook lets you send actual gifts in a social way. Here’s how to do it, along with a few alternative options.
• 5 Creative Uses for Crowdsourcing
  Some companies are tapping into the social web to solve problems and make decisions in interesting ways. These crowdsourcing approaches are food for thought.
• Why MySpace Can Still Win as a Music Destination
  Despite the ground it’s lost in the social network wars, MySpace remains a powerhouse as a music discovery site. Here are the reasons why, and what the site should do to stay in the social game through music.

For more social media news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s social media channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Tech & Mobile

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• 7 Unique Sites for Discovering New Music
  Whether you’re looking for rare audio and video from your favorite artists, or simply want to expand your musical palette, these seven unsuspecting sites will satisfy any audiophile.
• Top 5 DIY iPhone Stands [PICS]
  Ready to get all “MacGyver” on your iPhone accessories? These five iPhone stands can be made from simple household items in a snap. Check it out!
• 10 Best “Get a Mac” Parodies [VIDEOS]
  It’s the end of an advertising era, and as the “Get a Mac” series hangs up its spurs, we thought it appropriate to wrangle the best send-ups of the iconic commercial.
• 10 Great Websites to Buy Handmade Goods
  If you love Etsy, there’s a whole new crop of handmade online marketplaces worth exploring. Here are ten of the best.
• Are Location-Based Services All Hype?
  While the buzz around location is ever-growing, the unwillingness to look at sustainability and mainstream penetration echos the tech bust of the mid 90s. This post takes a hard look at the numbers and trends.
• The Future of Web Fonts
  While advances in web code allow for some amazing things in your browser, there are a number of reasons why typography has been a stunted part of web design. Recent developments seek to change all that. Here’s a look at where we’ve been, and where we’re going in the world of web fonts.
• How Open Data Applications are Improving Government
  From agency transparency to public transit, when governments make data available to developers, the citizens win. Here are some cases where it’s really working.

For more tech news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s tech channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Business

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• How Data is Redefining Business Relationships
  Doing business in an online world is still all about relationships. Social data has made tapping into these connections more efficient and more comprehensive. This post details how.
• How Hospitality Companies are Using Social Media for Real Results
  Social media offers the hotel and restaurant industries unprecedented opportunities to connect with clientele and bring new business in the door. We spoke with some establishments who have had success.
• 6 Tips for Effective Recruiting on Social Media Sites
  Looking for the perfect job candidate has gotten a whole lot easier thanks to the social web. Check out these strategies for getting the most out of online recruiting.
• 5 Ways to Monetize the Future of News Media
  While journalism still struggles to find sustainable business models, startups and establishments alike are experimenting with new ways to monetize content. Take a look at these five points on the spectrum.
• 5 Ways To Turn Your Traffic Into Valuable User Data
  You may be getting hits to your site, but simply tallying the numbers may mean you’re leaving important data on the table — data you could use to target and even monetize your traffic. Check out these five apps that can turn clicks in to insights.
• HOW TO: Start a Small Business Social Good Campaign
  It’s no secret that people are more inclined to purchase from companies that are working to improve our world. Check out these tips if you plan to embark on a social good campaign.
• 5 Steps to Taking Customer Service Social
  By integrating social media, customer service is no longer relegated to a specific department, but can be practiced by your entire staff through personal interaction with customers. Here’s how to make it happen.
• HOW TO: Pick the Perfect Name for Your Startup
  There’s a lot to consider when choosing a name for your business on the web. Is it available? How does it sound? What does it really mean? We spoke to startup pros and linguists to get their tips.

For more business news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s business channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Tags: business, facebook, Features Week In Review, List, Lists, Mobile 2.0, small business, social media, tech, twitter, youtube

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