If you’re reading this then you may well have found the link through our Twitter account (@policyexpert). It’s reported that over 190 million messages are tweeted every week around the world.  But Twitter’s not even the most popular social networking site. Facebook users share 3.5 billion items over the course of a week and the number of people using the site has increased by 40% over the last year. The benefits of the social media climate have been extolled thousands of times. You’re able to connect with people and brands, interact in new ways, share news and links to useful content and even play games with others in your network.

The new buzz word is ‘transparency’. By the uninitiated Twitter updates are often considered inane, and yes you can follow updates from people’s pets but equally it now shares a role in customer services and business branding. Celebrities now have an outlet to share details of their everyday habits and ordinary folk use it to talk to strangers about their lives.

Astonishingly Ofcom have reported that we are using social networking sites for 23% of the time we spend online, including 13 minutes a day on Facebook. Many of us dedicate more time to our virtual lives than developing real connections. They also found that 15% of adults surfing social networking sites did some using a mobile device, although with the growing popularity of mobile internet it looks like this statistic is set to rocket.

It’s now simple to access social networking sites on your phone. Applications from the makers of smart phones like the iPhone and those that run on the Android system allow us to connect to sites like Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook on the move through wireless and mobile broadband networks. We can also find out where we are and let other people know this information. Of course this immediate disclosure about the minute details of our lives has had its problems.

In September 2009 Hayley Jones was killed by partner Brian Lewis after she changed her Facebook status from ‘Married’ to ‘Single’. His girlfriend’s update to the couple’s network triggered powerful feelings in Lewis leading him to commit murder. There have also been cases of Facebook bullying being linked to teenage suicides, children being contacted by paedophiles and more recently people’s personal details being taken by games applications.

Then in May this year Paul Chambers wrote a tweet that cost him £1,000. The message, or rather outpouring of anger came in the form of a bomb- threat to Robin Hood Airport. The message was seen by a member of staff leading to Chambers being interviewed by police who declared him non-threatening. However, a judge later found him guilty of sending a message by means of a public electronic message that was grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character, contrary to the Communications Act 2003. Of course these high profile cases are related to bad calls of judgements. But there’s a bigger menace on the horizon that affects all of us.

The increase in mobile internet usage has led to an increase in the number of motorists using phones whilst driving. Although this is against the law, more than one in five motorists admits they’ve checked a social media alert while on the road. The top five problematic applications were Email, Google maps, music applications, photos and Facebook. A huge 26% of people believe it’s acceptable to use a phone at traffic lights and nearly half of motorists believe texting and receiving calls does not distract them from driving. Not only is it illegal to use a mobile phone while driving, it’s also been proven that in 2009 drivers distracted by mobile phones caused accidents that seriously injured or killed more than 80 people.

RAC’s report also explained what could happen in the two seconds it takes to check your phone. If you’re travelling at 70 miles an hour and you’re unaware of your surroundings it might take 159 metres to stop. That’s the length of 14 double-decker busses. To stay within the law it’s important to install a hands-free mobile device for your vehicle if you intend to make or receive calls. It’s also illegal to drive without car insurance and by covering your car, you can protect yourself from other irresponsible drivers on the roads.

Don’t let social media ruin your life.

6 tips to staying safe while using social media in the real world:

• Never disclose your location or address.
• Treat your online profiles like your real life; don’t say anything you wouldn’t want a stranger in the street to know.
• Read the small print, especially when signing up for Facebook applications. Make sure outside companies won’t have access to your personal details.
• Edit what you put up, your children’s photos and whereabouts are not for sharing.
• If you’re children want to get involved monitor their usage and be aware of who they’re talking to. Explain why they should let you know about any problems.
• If you sign in away from home be sure to sign out and remove your log-in details.
• Finally, never use a social networking site while driving.