There have been some notable successes - such as the NUS versus HSBC - but Facebook needs to be seen as more than just a glorified online petition.

Last week, more than 100,000 people joined Facebook groups expressing support for the protestors in Burma. But only a tiny fraction used the groups as forum for sustained discussion.

The future lies in harnessing the power of the Facebook platform and Facebook applications as comms tools. Online campaigners for Hillary Clinton, for instance, have developed news feeds that sit on a user's Facebook home page that can be updated daily - communicating campaign messages directly to supporters.

News feeds are just the tip of the iceberg. There is a huge opportunity for PR agencies to seize control and work with clients to develop innovative and engaging Facebook applications - and more importantly, to generate the content that powers them. Will we grab this chance, or let digital agencies encroach further on to PR territory?

Daljit Bhurji, PR and social media consultant.