How to change the world by lifting just a finger

If only everything in life was as simple as Facebook,

.

Millions of people changed their profile pictures to cartoon characters this weekend in a supposed show of solidarity calling for an end to child abuse.

As an idea it was brilliant. There was no need to sit and watch a harrowing TV advert, no need to sign up to a monthly direct debit and no harassment in the street by a student in a green anorak holding a clipboard.

In short, therefore, it was pointless. For what right thinking member of society would ever speak openly in support of child abuse?

And what child abuser would suddenly realise the terrible error of their ways and seek help from the authorities simply because a mate of theirs reminded them that they used to watch Will-O'-The-Wisp?

To cap it all there was no backing for it from children's charities although the NSPCC graciously said it approved of anything that drew attention to its work.

If the weekend of Facebook profile pictures inspired anyone to make a donation to the Full Stop campaign to end child abuse then maybe it was worth something in the end.

But for the vast majority it was simply a wallow in the nostalgia of our own childhood and an excuse to waste time on the internet looking for pictures of Batfink, Danger Mouse, He-Man and the Poddington Peas.

Normally the only time you talk about such memories are when you're a student, staggering home from the union bar, dropping a kebab and bellowing "do you remember Button Moon?" as loudly as you can.

The reason for the popularity of this campaign was nothing whatsoever to do with a serious campaign to end child abuse but merely the fact that everyone has at some point been a child and has watched some cartoons.

I doubt very much that changing our Facebook avatars to pictures of our favourite chocolate bars is going to convince Kim Jong Il to abdicate and hold free and open elections in North Korea but at least we can learn how many of our friends prefer a Double Decker to a KitKat Chunky.

The only way that Facebook has changed the world is that it's made us even more obsessed with ourselves than we were before.