THE mother of little Archie-Lee Hirst, who was tragically killed by a rottweiler, has used a social networking site to pay tribute to her son and share her agony with the world.

Becki Hirst has used her Bebo page to remember 13-month-old Archie-Lee.

It has also given family, friends and complete strangers the chance to pay their own respects – or even criticise.

And the friends of hit-and-run victim Adam O’Toole, a student at Huddersfield New College, created a Facebook site dedicated to his memory.

It has more than 1,000 members and has helped to spread the word in the continual hunt for his killer.

But, as a novice to social networking sites, what on earth are they all about?

I’ve had numerous email requests over the past few years from real-life friends to join them in becoming a ‘Facebook friend’.

But I have so far resisted the temptation to become what I believe to be a social hermit.

I often wonder why people use these sites to maintain friendships when it is as easy to pick up the phone.

I am one of what appears to be very few 25-year-olds not hooked-up to the internet 24/7.

But with over 100m people signed up to Myspace, 58m registered on Facebook and 40m on Bebo, I appear to be in the minority.

I do sometimes feel like I’m missing out.

I have friends living in Australia, America and South America who use Facebook as their main way of communicating with family and friends around the world.

I rely on email to keep in touch with them, but miss out on the daily blogs and pictures they often post on their social networking sites.

But I fail to see why I need an online profile to keep in touch with my friends who live a few miles away.

Or why I would spend my spare time looking at a computer screen?

Research from Computing Which? magazine has found that Bebo performs better than its rivals.

Users say it is better for ‘socialising’, the definition of which is ‘to meet others socially’ which, to me, appears to be difficult online.

Abigail Waraker, editor of Computing Which?, said: “Social networking sites are growing in popularity.

“It’s also encouraging to see that no matter what age you are, or what interests you have, there is a social networking site out there for you.”

Prince William has a Facebook site – but there are restrictions to his page.

Many celebrities – such as singer Joss Stone and actor Orlando Bloom – have sites, although it is not known if they created the pages themselves.

Computing experts have predicted ‘Facebook fatigue’ in 2008, saying such sites will run out of steam, with many people realising they spend an hour a day – or more – on what is essentially a mindless activity.

One in eight people in the UK have registered on Facebook, but I’m one who won’t be signing up.

Instead I’ll be hoping the ‘next big thing’ will be to have a face-to-face chat or a phone conversation.

I won’t hold my breath though!

“The Examiner is for old people” claims the founder of one Myspace page.

The self-named ‘Scourge of Huddersfield’ wants to kick-start an online revolution, but he appears to be alone as his social network page has no friends who agree with him.

And nor do we.

A search for ‘Huddersfield’ on Bebo, Facebook and Myspace revealed hundreds of pages dedicated to Huddersfield, the town, people, sporting life and nightlife.

The Huddersfield Myspace page says it is a town ‘like towns used to be like’ and with over 500 friends many appear to agree.

Several young people pay homage to the town on the site, with one poster saying: “I love you Huddersfield marry me?” another proclaiming: “Put your hands up for Longwood; I love this village” and one simply saying: “This town rocks!”

The page also gives many web users the chance to find out more about the town and its history, as well as a few of its quirks including seeing the Huddersfield Monkey Boys, a group of athletic youngsters who do street running, leaping over everyday obstacles such as walls and benches.

However, more disturbingly is a separate page by the ‘Huddersfield Irregulars!!’, founded by someone who says they are a ‘warrior’ by occupation.

The page opens with the words: “Kill 'em all, let God sort 'em out!!” accompanied by pictures of several types of guns.

The groups interests are highlighted as “Guns!! Explosives!!” and visitors are told that the “Huddersfield Irregulars!! [are] going shooting soon!!”

Whether it is a joke, a shooting club or a complete misunderstanding on my part, the pictures of guns are disturbing and available for youngsters of any age to see.

But it’s impossible to police such sites.

As the Examiner reported in September some young people are using online sites to dangerous affect.

A video on Youtube shows a young man on rollerblades holding on to the back of a speeding car as his friends film and laugh at him.

Social network sites can reach out to young people and get them involved in issues at the heart of the community.

Local political groups are using the sites in a bid to reach a young and new audience, with the local Respect group having a page dedicated to Huddersfield issues.

The recent Save The Hospital campaign received support from Myspace users, with one poster aged 14 commenting on the issue – something that would not have been possible without social networking sites.