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A new study from Forrester Research has found a decline in the number of content creators across social networking sites, even while general use and participation on these sites has risen. The group of users classified as "Creators" - those who record videos, post blog entries, write reviews and post comments to articles online - are less active this year than they were in 2009, with shrinking percentages of users in the majority of markets studied. In the U.S., for example, the Creators category dropped from 24% to 23%.

The dips in each region may not seem like a lot - usually only a percentage point or two - but Forrester analyst Jacqueline Anderson says there's still reason to be concerned.

Looking for a job? Need to fill a position? ResumeSponge, a Web app that enables professionals to build online profiles and connect with would-be employers just launched into beta and its creators want to help.

The fledgling site, which is free to use, is notably similar to LinkedIn, but with a few extra bells and whistles.

About one-third of small and medium-sized businesses have been infected with malware from social networks like Facebook and Twitter, according to a recent study released by Panda Security, a company specializing in cloud security.

The company surveyed 315 SMBs and found that 33% of them had an experience with malware stemming from social networking sites, primarily Facebook, where third party apps can sometimes contain malicious code.

Despite the continued growth and popularity of Facebook, a number of alternate social networking sites are cropping up in order to the needs of groups in ways that Facebook can't. One such group is scientists and scholars, who want to have a platform for communication and collaboration, but one that focuses on research interest and reading lists, not just friends and family.

And more and more - 2000 a day - are joining ResearchGATE, a startup that hopes to connect scientists, researchers, and scholars worldwide.

With the ability to reach billions of people for the price of a few keystrokes and clicks, the Web has become the way many of us make our first impressions. These days, I might know a person from their blog or Twitter account before I ever know them in real-life. If they made poor personal branding choices, perhaps I'll never want to actually meet them. Effectively constructing an online brand isn't easy, but thankfully one of the experts in the subject, Loïc Le Meur, founder of Seesmic and LeWeb, is launching his own video series to help set the foundation.

While young adults are the heaviest users of social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, older users over 50 are starting to catch up. According to a new report from the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 47% of Internet users between the ages of 50 and 64 and 25% of online adults over 65 now use social networking sites. Compared to just a year ago, the number of Internet users over 50 in the U.S. who use social networking services has nearly doubled.

AddThis, one of the most popular bookmarking and sharing buttons on the Web, has today released a new version of its sharing menu for the Apple iPad, the iPhone and Google Android. Now, when you visit a site from one of these mobile devices, tapping the button will present a sharing menu that's been built to specifically work with the touch interface of your mobile device and better integrate with its functions, like the built-in email client.

Ever since the first hushed rumors of Facebook getting into the location game, everyone has been looking to pioneering services like Foursquare, wondering what they thought and what would become of them in the face of such a social networking Goliath.

Today, Foursquare CEO Dennis Crowley cast the first stone, calling Facebook Places "not that great or interesting" and saying that overall "it's a pretty boring service". But are virtual badges really worth more than friends?

Last month, we wrote about a well-designed but overbuilt and slightly confusing microblogging site that had elements of Twitter, Facebook and Google Reader.

Miio had some nifty features and an inviting design, but we thought it was trying too hard to be everything. Apparently users agreed, and today Miio revealed a slimmed-down redesign that's easier to digest.

Sprouter, once described as "Twitter for entrepreneurs," is exceeding that 140 character limit today with the launch of Ask.Sprouter.com, a new Q&A feature to the site that will help entrepreneurs get real-time answers from experts and thought leaders.

A startup itself, Toronto-based Sprouter helps build networks and foster collaboration among entrepreneurs worldwide. The microblogging platform Sprouter provides lets entrepreneurs share short updates answering the question "What are you working on?" And Sprouter also sponsors local events and publishes a newsletter for its members.