Generation MySpace

Do social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook put youth in "mental risk?" At least one London-based psychiatrist thinks so. Dr. Himanshu Tyagi thinks kids who have grown up with the internet and who frequent social networking sites may have a skewed view of how true social interaction works. He warns that kids involved with social networking may place less value on their real lives and that this can lead to impulsive behavior.

Of social networking sites, Tyagi says "It's a world where everything moves fast and changes all the time, where relationships are quickly disposed at the click of a mouse, where you can delete your profile if you don't like it, and swap an unacceptable identity in the blink of an eye for one that is more acceptable."

Other experts disagree. While most concur that overuse of social networking sites can be harmful, some experts like psychologist Graham Jones feel that moderate use is perfectly healthy. In Jones' opinion, many people who use social networking sites tend to be quite social in their real lives as well. Their online presence is just an extension of their real-life social behavior.