Interesting research from the GuardianUK regarding online social networking. The key quotes: "Social networking sites allow people to broaden their list of nodding acquaintances because staying in touch online is easy…but to develop a real friendship we
need to see that the other person is trustworthy. We invest time and
effort in them in the hope that sometime they will help us out. It is a
kind of reciprocal relationship."
Here’s the whole thing.
Hat Tip: Valdis Krebs