Facebook has enveloped thousands of people across the world into its cyber depths and they seemingly will never emerge. But what is it about this site that captures so many people? The issue is only coming into debate with teenagers now because the average 55 minutes spent on the site could be spent revising for the upcoming external examinations.

What is it that attracts so many people to spend time on Facebook? Gone are the hours spent artistically placing photos in an album with witty captions embellishing the pictures, but now your friends leave humorous quotes along the bottom when you post them on Facebook. Your wall is littered with comments, your comments on photos, comments left on your wall, comments on statuses. It seems as though Facebook allows social interaction to now only be comments never a full discussion. Does this new style of talking predict a less interactive way of socialising that is emerging?

Some believe that net-working sites will replace actual meetings, and soon the easy method of writing on someone’s wall will replace calls and texting. Is this a too unrealistic prediction, or does the constant inflow of new users to Facebook, make this scary prediction more realistic?

I opened an account with Facebook in 2006. As a new resolution for 2010, I decided to take steps only few dare and deactivate my account. However there is a distinct difference between deactivation and deletion. Deactivation is the temporary shut-down of my account so it is hidden from everyone, but at if any time the temptation is too strong I can log on and my account will be there, just as before. Deleting your Facebook is much harder, and it seems as though once joined, Facebook won’t let you leave. As I deactivated, pictures of my friends popped up saying ‘Tessa will miss you’ and ‘Jane will hate to see you leave.’ The blackmail methods used to keep your account could only be a glimpse into the cruel reality that many people call Facebook.

There are two arguments posed over the Facebook Debate. One argument put forward by the users and makers claim Facebook to be no less than a fun and pleasurable way to post your innermost secrets on the web, others, most notably not Facebook users, see a more violating and intimidating method of encroaching onto your personal activities, a user-friendly Big Brother. So why is it that only those not involved in Facebook’s seductive ways have the unclouded view of it?