Abstract
The aim of this paper is to investigate whether Facebook is a substitute for in-person relationships. If so, it could have serious consequences for society. In an extensive longitudinal study (N = 2,000: 15–75 years of age) carried out in Norway, we investigated whether Facebook usage has an impact on offline social capital. We found no causal relationship between Facebook use and any of the offline social dimensions (family contact, close friends, bridging capital) , as opposed to gender and age, which proved to be far more important predictors. However, the results of the comparison of non-users with daily Facebook users in three annual waves (2008, 2009, and 2010) indicate that daily Facebook users are characterised by significantly more face-to-face interaction with close friends and a greater network of acquaintances. We therefore suggest that Facebook contribute towards a more high-speed nature of social relationships.
