You could be an online narcissist if you keep updating your status and posting pouty profile pictures on Facebook.

An analysis by researchers from York University in Canada suggests that egotism and low self-esteem may be related to "greater online activity" among Facebook profiles of users between 18- to 25-years old.

In a report published by cnbc.com, a similar study from San Diego State University also found that 60 per cent of university students surveyed used social networking sites for "self-promotion, narcissism and attention-seeking."

Julian Cole, an Australian Facebook researcher, said narcissists were drawn to social networking sites.

"They probably show that narcissist trait offline as well, but online, they update a lot and always write about where they are or who they're with," he said.

"They manicure their profile in terms of the shots that they put up there."

However, Laurel Papworth, a social networking commentator, said the "Facebook narcissist" label was misleading.

"I would expect that to be true of a broadcast site like YouTube or MySpace, but Facebook is where you communicate with your inner circle of friends and it mimics your everyday behaviour... Everybody else is simply updating their friends with what's going on in their lives and allowing them to comment," she said.