internet a nice place? doubtful.

The internet is struggling to remain a safe place for anyone these days. Along with the internet came internet molestation, (gross i know, but its valid and you know it.) and virtual identity theft. You have to be cautious of where you go and what information you share. If you choose to own a facebook account, its probably a good idea to be responsible with your pictures and information- future employers and criminals may be stalking your profile. This isn't to say that facebook and myspace aren't great, because they can be a nice place to chat and communicate with you friends and family.

In terms of whether these platforms for communication have made us more social as opposed to isolated, it really depends on the individual. Personally, I do my best to briefly check my messages, or chat with a close friend for a short time then promptly log off. Its entirely possible for people to stalk pages and roam endlessly through public profiles, especially for those who struggle in terms of face-to-face socialization. These forms of virtual chat allow people to mask their true personalities and create different, more appealing (at least to themselves) personalities. Hell, I think facebook is great if you use it right, but it takes away the reality of talking to someone in person and learning how to really communicate. Remember calling people on their home phones?