Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI says social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace can foster friendships and understanding, but warns they also can isolate people and marginalize others.
Benedict urged a culture of online respect in his annual message Friday for the World Day of Communications.
Benedict welcomes as a "gift" new technologies such as social networking sites, saying they respond to the "fundamental desire" of people to communicate.
But he also warns that "obsessive" virtual socializing can isolate people from real interaction and deepen the digital divide by excluding those already marginalized.
He urges producers to ensure that the content respects human dignity and the "goodness and intimacy of human sexuality."