Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn are now stable members of our daily lives, and with increasing frequency we meet people who ask us if we're on Facebook or belong to a certain on-line community. Are social networks a fad or are they here to stay? If they are not a fad, how do they affect the way we experience our relationships? Are they useful or just a waste of time? This book deals with the reality of social networks and explains how they were created, how they've evolved, and how they influence people's relationships and identities. This up-to-date and easy-to-understand text helps the reader gain a better understanding of a phenomenon so widespread it cannot be ignored.

Giuseppe Riva teaches Psychology of Communication and Psychology and New Communication Technologies at the Catholic University in Milan.