There was an interesting article in Saturday’s NY Times called Anti-Social Networking?which raised the question whether Facebook was actually impeding kids’ ability to form real world friendships.
On the positive side, it was cited that kids tend to keep in touch and communicate more often and with more people through Facebook then they did in previous generations when you’d have to pick up the phone or actually get together in person.
It was also noted as an important means for shy kids to engage socially when they alternative is often no contact at all.
However, on the negative side, communicating through social networks can be more fleeting and superficial than in person (or even on the phone) contact and can’t really replicate the kind of bonds that are formed from spending a whole day shooting the breeze with one good friend.
From my perspective as a parent of a Tween, I found myself agreeing with many of the positive and negative points in the article.
But it also made me wonder whether Facebook was good or bad for adult relationships.