▁accounts ▁are ▁now ▁s eld om ▁provided ▁for ▁free ▁to ▁journal ists , ▁there ▁are ▁still ▁a ▁s izable ▁number ▁on ▁The ▁W E LL ; ▁for ▁example ▁column ist ▁Jon ▁Car roll ▁of ▁the ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Chron icle , ▁Wend y ▁M . ▁G ross man ▁of ▁The ▁In qu ir er , ▁and ▁critic ▁Andy ▁Klein ▁of ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁City Be at . ▁ ▁The ▁W E LL ▁also ▁received ▁numerous ▁awards ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁including ▁a ▁Web by ▁Award ▁for ▁online ▁community ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁and ▁an ▁E FF ▁P ione er ▁Award ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁news ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁The ▁W E LL ▁was ▁noted ▁for ▁ref using ▁membership ▁to ▁Kevin ▁Mit nick , ▁and ▁ref und ing ▁his ▁membership ▁fee . ▁ ▁Virtual ▁community ▁and ▁social ▁network ▁difference ▁ ▁There ▁is ▁often ▁confusion ▁between ▁a ▁virtual ▁community ▁and ▁social ▁network . ▁They ▁are ▁similar ▁in ▁some ▁aspects ▁because ▁they ▁both ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁for ▁personal ▁and ▁professional ▁interests . ▁A ▁social ▁network ▁offers ▁an ▁opportunity ▁to ▁connect ▁with ▁people ▁one ▁already ▁knows ▁or ▁is ▁acquaint ed ▁with . ▁Facebook ▁and ▁Twitter ▁are ▁social ▁networks . ▁Platform s ▁such ▁as ▁Linked In ▁and ▁Yam mer ▁open ▁up ▁communication ▁channels ▁among ▁cow ork ers ▁and ▁pe ers ▁with ▁similar ▁prof essions ▁in ▁a ▁more ▁relax ed ▁setting . ▁O ften ▁times