Netlog is a European social networking site with more than 35 million user and is relatively unknown in the United States. Here you can set up a profile, add pictures join clans (groups), upload videos and listen to music all while networking with your friends. We particularly liked that the site is completely advertisement free.

The minimum age to join Netlog is 13. You can adjust your profile’s security settings to be as open or private as you want. You can adjust if your profile can be found using a simple search, or who specifically can access your profile, or if only people in your age range and location can contact you. You can also use the Netlog whitelists and blacklists to accept or block specific users.

We found that Netlog is not an advocate of meeting and networking with people you don’t already know. However, this makes things a little difficult when searching for friends as well. Netlog encourages you to upload your email address books and they will find your friends for you. You can also do a search using the keyword box, although we found that method to be terribly inefficient.

The currency of Netlog is credits. You can purchase credits and use them inside the service for additional features like putting aspects of your profile in the spotlight. You also get free credits when your friends register with Netlog based on your invite or when you participate in various Netlog activities.

Netlog also offers a free download of their Netlog 24 toolbar that alerts you when you have a message or new friend request without being signed into the Netlog website.

Additionally, you can change your profile by adjusting colors and background or you can chose from a selection of pre-made skins. Unlike MySpace, you cannot add HTML or CSS code to farther customize your profile.

Netlog’s networking features are typical of a social networking site including blogs and personal videos. You can join clans which act like groups, but we felt they were a little unusual and organized poorly. The categories are very general and there is no “drill down” method. For example, when we selected the Sports clan there were just pages and pages of groups. We would have liked the ability to narrow or filter our search specifically for Soccer or Baseball, and then by specific teams.

Additionally, we would have liked to see the implementation of applications, which are becoming a social networking necessity.