You have become a fan of: murder

When it comes to social networking, most people are simply looking to connect with their friends online. Maybe they’re looking for some new friends too. Sites like Facebook, Bebo and MySpace have become phenomenally popular for these uses, although sometimes it can all end in tears. Or worse. Death.

For those of us not interested in accepting a friend request from the Grim Reaper (sigh…), perhaps it’s handy to know which social network is least likely to put you six feet under.

Firstly, and perhaps most lethally, there’s Bebo. Once the haunt of every teenager across Ireland and the UK, Bebo has quietened down exponentially since its glory days. It does however, leave behind a chequered past of death and suicide.
In 2008, one 13-year old from Gloucestershire in England was found hanging in his bedroom following months of bullying from his peers on Bebo.

And just two years ago in South Wales, 24 people aged between 13 and 17 took their own lives in what was speculated to be a “cult suicide” pact formed on the social networking site.

Now that we’ve all moved on to Facebook, the days of the cult suicide may be behind us. But maybe think twice before you send a death threat to someone.

Keeley Houghton, an English 18-year old said she was “going to murder” Emily Moore in an update posted on her profile. After bullying Emily for years both in real life and online, Houghton was served with a three-month prison sentence and a restraining order that prevented her from contacting Emily online or in person for five years.

If you’re hoping that the world’s formerly largest social networking site MySpace would be any safer, you’re probably wrong. One man in Spokane in the United States killed his estranged wife and, just so no one would know something was amiss, impersonated her on MySpace to her family and friends. Of course, this didn’t work, and he’ll now spend 18 years behind bars.

Clearly, if you befriend the wrong people on any social networking site, or if you have friends with homicidal tendencies, maybe it’s best to stay offline. And don’t give your potential murderer your username and password. Ever.