I have been using New Communication Technologies since I was about 12, so that makes it 8 years.
I started using them when I got a computer and the internet. Probably my first experience was using Microsoft Messenger.
Guess it was the in thing when I was a tween-ager, when I was first talking to girls and stuff. (online communication prevents the exchange of 'coodies' or other diseases carried by the opposite sex :0
New Communication Technologies are important to me as after school everyone goes to different parts of the country and world. Online communications such as Facebook ,a free easy way to keep in touch and it allows you to see pictures and becuase it is not live time differences around the world don't matter.
Though they are very superficial and full of posers (people who take photo's just for facebook or myspace). I find it now in my daily routine to chck who's doing what.

Privacy isn't a massive issue for me as I only add people I know and I don't put up my phone number or address and I haven't been bothered by any stalkers yet. Though I can understand how people see it as a breach of privacy as some people leave the privacy settings turned off and let there information go all over the world to anyone.

'perfect examples of social networking'

Unfortubnatley online communication takes away from the personalness of catching up with someone. Much of the time I find that a phone call is more fitting. Some of my more lazy friends will just facebook me because they consider it easier than texting or calling.

Fortunatley it does allow you to contact those friends that you wouldn't otherwise bother calling.
'Hay how ya doing? We have to catch up soon!' (NOT) ;)

yumcha33