Not too long ago, one would have had to pay to get onto the most prolific social networking sites. Now the leading sites are free for users, but companies struggle with turning a profit.

Could it be that in the future, social networking sites will pay us in virtual currency? There is reason to believe this kind of platform is the next stage of the evolution in social networking online.

This week sees the launch of a new site with those characteristics, Vreebit.com, which was first announced at the World Future Congress 10 days ago.

Setting Vreebit apart is a virtual currency called "VreeBees,” which users obtain in various ways, including by clicking ads, referring new members, and providing expert advice. VreeBees are used to purchase ads and to promote businesses, causes, or events -- or they can be redeemed for products or services.

The developers say Vreebit.com "is designed to be simple and efficient, creating a novel experience for our users and represents our vision of the future of the Internet."

The new site gives users a free Website, email, secure document exchange, and mobile access. Vreebit claims to have “the strongest privacy management in the industry [allowing] users to determine exactly who views their content, affording comprehensive security control."

So, does a glorious world of freedom await us in Vreebit?

It depends on the adoption of Vreebit’s virtual currency. Those gold pieces in World of Warcraft have certainly caught on with the younger generation, so it seems likely that Vreebit’s technique will as well. Acceptance by that group of 12- to 31-year olds will be key for the site.

Don Tapscott, author of Growing Up Digital, has talked about this digital generation. He points out that members of the 12-31 group have become mentors for the rest of us in all things digital. It is an important vantage point we sometimes neglect.

If virtual currency on Vreebit engages these people, then Vreebit will be successful regardless of what we old(er) folks think.

Which brings me to another point: Just as they will help determine the future of social networking, young people can also teach us the attitude to adopt toward the Internet of the future.

Our emphasis should be on empowerment, self enhancement, and societal improvement so we can be resilient, withstand the forces at work, and form a new, more nurturing and positive environment for mankind's endeavors.

If young people do take to Vreebit, it’s still questionable whether it will steal thunder from Facebook, because it is not yet clear what the layout of the site will be, etc. However, it seems to offer features that Facebook currently does not, such as document management.

However, as in the physical marketplace, it's not always the product that does the most that sells the best or is most widely adopted. What makes a product attractive to consumers is often unpredictable and is based on the more “psychological” aspects of the product, such as what we associate it with, what meaning it holds in society, and so forth.

It seems inevitable, however, that the “ante” in social networking will be upped this year. As the Web offers more, as our lives on the Web become richer, social networking sites will follow, and perhaps Vreebit is indicative of the new and more multi-faceted models to come.

— Kim Solez, MD, Director of NKF cyberNephrology at the University of Alberta