As somebody who has recently recruited a policeman pal to teach me undercover surveillance tactics – for fun – I’ll have to admit up front to something of a nosey streak.

Luckily, I found the one line of work where that’s actually a positive personality trait: journalism – a safe career haven for many a serial snooper.

Of course, in tabloid days gone by, getting that sneaky scoop might have meant hours of digging around in dustbins for tasty titbits of information. No need in this new web-friendly world. One click of a mouse and you can strike serious gossip gold.

I’m talking about Facebook – every newshound’s new best friend. Sixty seconds surfing some unsuspecting soul’s online profile could dig more dirt than Gardener’s World. Complete with compromising pictures of that night you wanted to forget . In a way it’s just too easy, takes all the fun out of ferreting around for scandal.

In all seriousness, though, what you do notice if you’ve ever had to research somebody for a story, is how completely shameless some people have become about their online status.

Would you show me that excrutiatingly embarrassing snap of yourself if we were sitting in a cafe? Probably not.Then why feel the need to plaster it all over your Facebook page? I’ve seen many sights of late that some girls should really only share with their partners in the privacy of their own home.

As for the fellas - seems a strange thing happens to some men when they come into contact with a computer keyboard. All sense of social norms goes out of the window in the confines of a "chat" box. Even the most unlikely lotharios come out with language that would make many of us pale with embarrassment.

Cyber space – it’s transformed us from a nation of emotional prudes into barefaced bloggers, willing to disclose our most intimate secrets for anyone to read on the internet.

It’s a trend that eagle-eyed employers are already using to their advantage. With many firms playing Facebook detective before asking potential employees to sign on the dotted line. Those ‘secrets’ could spell the end of your architect ambitions or dreams of being a doctor.

But even more disturbing than that is the news this week that detectives hunting the killer of Joanna Yeates have turned their investigations towards the social networking site. Reportedly asking for witness statements and DNA samples from people on her list of 200 online "friends". And it’s not the first time police have gone forensic on Facebook.

The fact is, it’s become an invaluable source of evidence, revealing things about us that might never come to light in the real world. It’s a sobering thought worth considering before you type up that next status update.

For me, more than anything, it throws up the question of who exactly we are revealing our innermost secrets to. How many of our online "friends’ do we really know at all? Posting your whereabouts every few minutes could be disclosing far too much information. Seriously, some young girls I’ve seen with over 1,000 friends post online status updates every time they leave the house – it’s a potentially precarious game to play.

So what’s the best way to handle this Pandora’s Box of blogging? I recently interviewed a futurologist who makes a living out of predicting technology trends. She reckons soon we’ll all have multiple online personalities – one for work, one for play. Possibly even with different identities to keep strangers at bay and our virtual reputations squeaky clean.

Until then, perhaps a digital detox wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Starting the new year with an online purge of potentially dangerous information or make-believe mates. It might be fun living in a virtual world – but, unfortunately, it still holds real dangers.

I hope pregnant Posh can let it all hang out

CONGRATS to Posh and Becks, who’ve announced they’re expecting another addition to Brand Beckham this summer. How long before the publicity-shy parents use this handy news hook to bring out their own range of maternity wear?

According to Amanda Holden, the latest trend among famous mums-to-be is to pull that pregnancy bump in with a pair of Spanx pants.

Ladies, ladies have you taken a maternity leave of your senses? If you can’t let it all hang out for nine measly months, what’s the point in procreating.

Without the benefit of being able to stuff your face on chocolate-covered burgers for without fear of being labelled a fattie – what’s the upside?

Ice queen Kerry serves up some frozen treats

EVER since a rather inelegant episode at Altrincham ice rink – resulting in concussion, whiplash and a red-cheeked wait at A&E – I’ve never felt the urge to get my skates on again.

Yet the annual return of Dancing On Ice is guaranteed to send shivers down my spine. Of all the reality shows, it’s got it all hasn’t it? Stretch Lycra, spray tan – and the added jeopardy of a potential bloody blade catastrophe on live TV.

Admit it, much as we love those daring dance routines, it’s the possibility of seeing a sequin-encrusted celeb skid legs-akimbo into a face-freezing death plunge that keeps us all switched on.

I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who thought the only skill Warrington wondergob Kerry Katona would display on the ice was a frozen facial expression.

Only for the professional ‘tabloid personality’ to do the most shocking thing in her career so far – actually display some talent.

Melting even this critical ice queen’s heart with her graceful performance.

Well, Kezza, they say revenge is a dish best served cold. Keep up this standard of skating and you’ll be forcing me and the rest of your former critics to eat some very well-chilled words.

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