Do social media technologies make us more social?

Far from forgetting about making friends in real life, online relationships can be hugely beneficial for us, writes Eoin Whelan

THERE is no doubt that social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, SecondLife, and Twitter are a heavily used medium through which people interact with each other today.

These platforms enable us to keep up-to-date with the latest adventures of our friends, family, and even our favourite celebrities. But do the hours we spend sharing our lives through computer screens and smartphones actually isolate us from real and meaningful relationships? Or do these social networking sites really make us more social?