Deal means site members can add friends as Windows Live Messenger contacts

Microsoft has signed a deal with five social networking sites that enables users to add their friends to their Windows Live Messenger address books.

Linkedin, Bebo, Hi5, Tagged and Facebook will share their information with Microsoft so that its Windows Live Messenger members will able to invite their friends to join them on the messaging service.

It has set up a new website where Live Messenger members can log in and choose which of their social networking friends to add as contacts.

Invitees are then sent an email to confirm they wish to be added.