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Man Booker winner Howard Jacobson has dismissed social networking sites Facebook and Twitter, claiming both sites "will be the death of us".
In an interview on Sky Arts' "The Book Show", The Finkler Question author confessed a deep distrust of all types of social media despite being reminded of their positive role in the Middle East protests. "I am unable to get excited about revolution in the Middle East. I suspect the political views of young people because I don’t think they know enough."
Social networking is an increasingly important part of publishers' marketing campaigns. However, the Bloomsbury author continued: "I’m also suspicious when I hear Facebook as if Facebook is a terrific thing. I don’t get this. And I don’t believe that the internet is necessarily a force for good. I think the idea of twittering and whispering to one another at great speed when they might not have anything to say to one another is not a reason that we should be excited.
"Facebook will kill us one day. You mark my words: we might not be around to see it but Twitter will be the death of us. We’ll be twittered into hell."
The full interview with Jacobson will be broadcast on Sky Arts 1 HD on 3rd March at 7pm.