Hi Kyle, Yes, it looks as though one of the members posted the story about the Salford University study but they don't appear to link to it. I think you are also alluding to the chicken and egg thing I mention in my post? There is little doubt in my mind that many people will be affected negatively by the nature and type of interaction they may experience via social networking sites. Of course many more will not, so we have to balance this out and ask questions relating to issues such as you suggest. That is, what are the existing circumstances a user of social networking sites brings and what influence are these likely to have (on others as well as themselves). I'm sure as social networking sites evolve a whole raft of research as to their effects and implications will emerge. They are however a fact of life and we have to account for this. The way people interact with them will be influenced by all manner of things, so the way people cope, or manage their unique situation will have to be guided by influential folk around them (parents maybe) or as older adults they may choose not to be involved at all - or something in between. The moment a social situation becomes toxic, it's time to turn things around.