Mobile Social networks are not a big hit, according to new Nielsen Resarch (writes MoCoNews). With only 1.7% of UK mobile users using a social network specifically designed for mobile users. While users are moving to social networks via their handsets, the big winners in the connecting people stakes are, not surprisingly, the behemoths that exist on the desktop.Facebook's mobile site m.facebook.com accounts for over half a million hits and 9% of all UK mobile web users.

This isn't surprising, given the move to easy access on mobile versions of many of the big Web 2.0 sites, as well as a general feeling in web circles that your data should be accessible no matter where you are, no matter what device you're on. Any social network launching today that decides to target mobile will be welcome, but unless it has a strong back end accessible from both a desktop PC and perhaps even existing services (such as Twitter), then it's not going to get a lot of traction, fancy Location Based Services, geo-tagging pictures and 'where are my friends right now' features notwithstanding.

More at MoCoNews.