Ofcom says that social media usage is surging (with 38% of UK internet users having a profile on a social networking site like Facebook).
Online and telephone bank First Direct goes further, claiming that over half of the UK population are actively creating content online. In response to this new 'age of openness' the bank has created a microsite to welcome twitter-length feedback.
I'm curious – but not convinced. People may be online, but most are lurkers not active participants. There are many places for expressing our opinions so why create a new one? I've heard today that First Direct does monitor the social web and is very quick to respond to feedback. My comment on the microsite is that I'm a contented long-time customer of First Direct, but that I've had a bruising experience with Equity Red Star car insurance bought through the bank that risks damaging the bank's reputation.
PR Studies 
I was just passing by/lurking, but from the content of the post I thought I’d say hello…hello!
There’s certainly a big difference between the number of facebook accounts that exist and the number which are in active use.
Hello Richard! Good point. I was pondering about this issue for a while. Evgeny Morozov takes this point even further (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hFk6FDrZBc) by asking if the social media controversially actually makes us into more active users of media, or, on a contrary, more passive and inert?