The virtual party - Vigilance is not paranoia

STAYING at home was supposed to be the new going out but it seems that online socialising has become the real going out.

Facebook usage has soared 150% in just 12 months. More than half a million people now using the social networking site, this despite Bebo being the most popular social site in Ireland.

Facebook is the sixth-ranked website worldwide, with 275 million visitors in February, up 175% in a year. In Europe, nearly 100 million people use the site.