Vince Cable has launched into the Social Networks with tooth and claw and in Vincent’s case, the teeth may be a little rotten and the claws somewhat calcified, but the dear man does have a record of speaking the truth quite often. So he needs to be taken seriously, even though he heads a party which is tottering toward oblivion.

To sum up, he’s miffed as are so many of his – and my generation. His response to the recent Cambridge Analytica revelations is a cry for the networks to be broken up, submitted to regulation (preferably by the EU. But he would say that wouldn’t he as a fervent opponent of Brexit and therefore further proof of the idiocy of our leaving the comfort of powerful regulators.) He says Facebook et al are a threat to Democracy itself! They are corporate monopolies which have transformed from heroes to villains. And so, he says, we need official watchdogs to guard us from these villains, to regulate them and to ensure consumers are paid when their data is used.

The Vince is usually right about many things and he is partly right about the social networks. I find it rather uncomfortable when people attack Fb and co for their failings (there are many) and forget the incredibly useful things they do. Fb in particular has assumed the role of granny’s best friend – it is used by so many grandparents to keep contact with children and grandchildren all over the world. Nowadays very few youngsters would be seen dead on that particular platform, preferring Instagram and Snapchat. I have found it immensely useful – it has allowed me to contact many lost old friends; it is very useful for me for marketing my books, website and blog and above all it cheers me up with cat videos.