According to new figures released by web monitoring firm comScore, social networking website Facebook now attracts more UK web surfers than the BBC website.The findings come hot on the heels of revelations that using social networking websites such as Facebook, Bebo and MySpace could be beneficial for businesses. The research by comScore shows Facebook to be the fifth most visited site in the UK, with an estimated 18.4 million unique UK visitors over the age of 15 in September 2008. In comparison, the BBC website saw 18.2 million unique British visitors.
Only search engine giant Google - along with market rivals Microsoft and Yahoo, and internet auction website eBay - attracted more traffic from UK web surfers, with Google heading the list with 31.8 million unique visitors. The figures, which are based on data from comScore's World Metrix audience measurement service, do not take into account visitor traffic from internet cafes and mobile devices.
The full list is as follows:
Google: 31.8m
Microsoft Sites: 28.8m
Yahoo! sites: 21
eBay: 19.8
Facebook: 18.4m
BBC: 18.2m
AOL LLC: 16.8m
Wikimedia Foundation Sites: 13.6m
Ask Network: 13.6m
Amazon: 11.4m
Despite recent and ongoing concerns over privacy, Facebook, founded by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004, has quickly established itself as the most popular worldwide social networking service, based on monthly unique visitors. It overtook its main market rival, MySpace, in April this year, although MySpace still enjoys superiority over Facebook in the United States.
But while Facebook continues to grow in popularity, one leading therapist has claimed that as many as one in ten women are becoming dangerously addicted to the social networking site and could need psychiatric help. The claim, made by addictions expert and lead therapist at London's The Priory clinic, David Smallwood, suggests that many users of the website suffer from 'friendship addiction', which sees users try to acquire as many Facebook contacts as possible.
In an interview with Metro.co.uk, Mr Smallwood said: "The problem with Facebook is that it's all about acquisition and this is an addictive process.
"Acquisition of friends is like any other fix but it's competitive - you judge yourself by how many friends you have online."
Mr Smallwood also warned that there is potential for people to feel severely damaged or isolated when their friend requests are rejected, and that anyone with drug, alcohol or shopping addictions should steer clear of Facebook and other, similar websites.
