Resources for finding friends and family on the Internet

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Finding a lost friend or relative is no longer the difficult task it was in the past now that the resources of the Internet are at the tips of your fingers. Here are some suggestions to help you find those people you might want to reconnect with.

The quickest and easiest way to start searching is to type in your friend or family member's name on Internet directories or the search engines. Sometimes it can be that easy. Since most people leave trails of documentation, it is likely some facts and basic information has been loaded into Internet data somewhere.

To become more methodical with your search, compile as much information as you can gather into one folder or journal. Use that information to search through news groups. For example, try the newsgroup soc.net-people or another similar aide.

Social networks like Facebook and MySpace have become so popular that you might easily stumble across friends and family you'd lost touch with over the years. Many of the social networking programs have helpful search tools that can help you link up with people you want to find. Other networks like Twitter and some of the business sites like LinkedIn might also re-connect you with missing friends and family on the Internet. LinkedIn is particularly helpful for business social networking.

Another source to find people is by using registries. Most registries are quite specific like schools, military, or career choices. This is where some of that information you compiled might come in handy.

There are some good books out on the subject, too. A good one is 'Find Anyone' by Richard R. Johnson and John H. Wood. As the popularity of the Internet continues to expand, more current books are being regularly published, so take a look at all the choices.

There are a number of excellent forums where you can post your lost friend or family's name, too. Try www.thebestplace.to/forums/find_people/ or findlostones.com/ or a more commercial site like www.reunion.com -- among many others.

'Net Detective' is one software that will turn your computer into your own detective service.

And don't forget the possibilities of finding people through email. Try a service like 'email.com/LOST_FRIEND'.

These are just some suggestions on how to find lost friends and family using the Internet. Try out the best matched resources for the person you are seeking or use the method you find most comfortable first. Then go on to others if your first attempts aren't fruitful. With all these resources, it is likely you will find your friend or family member somewhere by using the Internet.