Could social networking sites mean the end of lasting friendships?

A GENERATION THAT IS GROWING UP using social networking websites, such as Facebook and MySpace, is less likely to form lasting relationships and is more likely to act without thinking, an expert has warned.

Many people who were born in 1990 or later have only known a world with the Internet, so they could grow up with an unrealistic view ofthe world and themselves, the annual meeting of the Royal College of Psychiatrists heard.

Dr Himanshu Tyagi, a psychiatrist, said social networking sites have encouraged the idea that friendships and relationships can be formed and ended quickly and easily. He said, "It's a world where everything moves fast and changes all the time, where relationships are ended at the click of a mouse. Online, you can delete your profile and change who you are ina few seconds." He said that because everything happens so quickly on social networking sites, people may start to find the real world boring.

He said teenagers who socialize online are more likely to make quick decisions without thinking about the consequences of their actions. They might not pay enough attention to their 'real world' selves, and might find itdifficult to form relationships in the real world because they won't learn about body language, tone of voice and facial expressions online. He said that if you can't see someone's face or body language or hear the changes in their voice, this will influence your understanding of what's going on. He added that friendship means something very different to the 'internet generation'.

But there are also benefits. When you're online, you often don't know the wealth, race or gender of the person you're communicating with. Dr Tyagi said, "No one is an outsider on the net. It may not be the best way to make lasting friendships, but it does make everyone equal."

By Dr Himanshu Tyagi

Vocabulary:

psychiatrist [saɪ'kaɪətrɪst] – n. психиатр

equal ['i:kwəl] – adj. равный

annual ['ænjuəl] – adj. ежегодный