Out of the countries surveyed across Mena, those in the GCC posted the highest Facebook population in the region, added the Arab Social Media Report published by the Dubai School of Government. The report also noted that youth (those between the ages of 15 and 29) represent the majority or 70 per cent of Facebook users in the region, a number that has been holding steady since April 2011. While social media has revolutionised human interaction in less than two decades, people must continue to exercise caution in sharing personal information online so as to avert cyber threats, Ezzo said. The need to address online safety in using social networking is particularly significant in the Gulf where smartphone and Internet penetration rates are high, and children have access to mobile devices, he added. "Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tumblr are social media tools that have now become household names and their influence as a communication channel continues to increase," said Ezzo.