My memories of wonderful times, fallings out and in one or two cases, romantic relationships, are memories featuring flesh and blood. Not USB holes, Broadband connections and avatars (in the technological sense and not the spiritual sense. Well, the technological sense of the word comes from the spiritual sense but…anyway…moving on).

That said, there are a couple of friends on my profiles on social networking websites who I have never met in the “real world” (what the flip is “the real world” in this context? Are we assuming that the Internet is not part of the real world? Are we saying that the Internet is a world different from our reality?). My better half is a lot more cautious about who she adds as a friend on social networking websites. Quite a few times she’s said to me: “so, you adding her as a friend has nothing to do with the fact she’s pretty?” Let me be clear, I do not cheat or mess anyone about. But to be honest, yes, I do like the idea that good looking women might, on occasion, like to add me as a friend on Facebook. It doesn’t happen often, though. Usually, it’s some guy called Clive I met once at a Doctor Who convention who wants to continue the argument I had with him about the difference between the Dalek Emperor and the Supreme Dalek.

Losing friends on social networking websites can hurt. Two people deleted me from their friends list last year, for no real reason, and I felt upset about it. The level of hurt is nowhere near as bad as when you lose a good, long standing friend in the “real world” (if we must use that term. Who on earth is defining the paramiters of this apparently all encompassing reality?) but it can upset you for a while.

I do hold a lot back on social networking websites, though. I will not discuss or announce my relationship status (I did use a social networking website to ask why my better half was spending a lot of her time looking at and talking about an ad for an Adele Parks book with a half naked man on it. She said she already had a hunk at home so she didn’t need the man in the photo. I demanded to know who this hunk was and then felt stupid when she replied: “You, you berk!”) because, to me, that is the business of myself and my girlfriend, partner or, in the future perhaps, wife. I am quite a private person (says the man with a blog read by more than 23,000 people in 52 countries) and it takes a lot of effort to get close to me.

Social networking websites are great communication tools for keeping in touch with people. Are they addictive? Maybe. I am aware that I am steadily moving from the life stage where I understand technology to the life stage where all I will hear in the future is: “oh, Dad, you are so old fashioned…” every time I ask about modern technology. I’m not a parent yet but I have reached the stage in my life where I quite like the idea of being a parent.

Staying indoors all the time would be a bad idea and could cause problems. Not having friends in the “real world” and not socialising at all could cause problems. Not getting enough fresh air and exercise could cause problems. Being too private as a person could cause problems. But to be honest, I do not see enough evidence to convince me that social networking websites are the main or even a big cause of those things that could cause problems. I mean, reading a book is, during the actual reading, a private activity where you sit down on your own and read. But, last time I checked, nobody is shouting: “Reading too many books is a really bad thing!” to the heavens.

Airing one’s “dirty linen” on a social networking website might actually be the lesser of two evils. At least that way, only your friends have to put up with it and it’s a pretty clear indication that a friend is in trouble and might need help and advice. Which would we rather: a friend who lets the world know when he’s got hurt feelings or a friend who never tells us they’re upset and never lets us in to help? Which is better: airing your dirty linen in relative privacy amongst “friends” or airing it in public in the “real world” where every man and his dog gets to know your business?