"Reach out and touch someone," was the slogan in the 1980's for long distance phone giant AT&T. Ma Bell is still an important part of everyday life, but she has her competition today, as more and more users of the Internet are reaching out through cyberspace.

Social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, and so many others, are the methods of choice these days for young and old alike.

On the surface, social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, and so many others that allow communication among people the world over, have brought people together in an unprecedented way.

In my own experience, I have found these sites to be rewarding, to say the least. I come from a small family that has never been good at keeping in-touch. We have even slacked off on our annual Christmas card exchanges. My husband and I have recently moved to another state, so we have many friends we left behind. Communication is important to us.

To my surprise, MySpace and Facebook have allowed me to link with cousins I haven't seen in years. I've re-connected with friends from our former neighborhood. I've even found some friends from high school that I haven't even thought about in years. Just seeing their names and an updated picture of them, brings me back to those carefree days of my youth. Memories long buried have come flooding back. I've even begun a regular communication with my brother who I rarely see. Both of my children have accounts, so we can supplement our phone conversations, with our on-line chats. I can see pictures of my grandkids readily, thanks to the advancement of digital photography and the ease of sharing.

For me, the Internet has been a communication tool and a positive experience. But like anything new, there are drawbacks.

One of the most tragic stories to come from social networking was the case of 13-year old Meagan Meier, who lived in a small town in Missouri. She committed suicide by hanging herself alone in her bedroom in October 2006 after an Internet boyfriend she met on MySpace, began saying mean and untrue things about her to her friends. She was devastated when he turned on her. Sadly she was unaware that the boy never really existed, but was a made-up character of a former friends' mother. Lori Drew, the mother that perpetuated the hoax against Meier, now awaits sentencing for her actions.

Despite the fact that this was related to MySpace should in no way condemn the site or Internet use. This

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

---

Add your voice

Know something about Pros and cons of MySpace and Facebook?
We want to hear your view. Write now!