The Internet : Addiction To The Internet

Older generations don’t realize how much technology has affected this generation of teenagers, along with the social media that comes along with the technology. As stated in “How Social Media Changed Teens’ Lives Forever”; “Negative posts or comments also can do great damage to a teen’s self-esteem.” (Ashley Black, Thomas Atseff and Colleen Kaveney) While many parents think social media is just a way to connect with others, many teenagers take it for granted. For example, “quitting social media because it made her miserable and obsessed with appearing perfect online”, is what a teenager felt about social media and what it has done to her. Though many think that social media is a great way to connect, teenagers take it to another level.

Social networking is the mainstream way to communicate with anyone. Teenagers are obsessed with social networking, no one calls each other unless it’s extreme circumstances or their mother. Sharing pictures, sharing life stories, and sharing opinions online has been the way of life and the norm for kids growing up with computers and smart phones. The parents to this generation have not grown up in the same environment and have different standards for online activity. In the Article “ 10 Reasons Why I Avoid Social Networking Services” written by Alan Norton, he lists why he does not use social networking services. His personal beliefs are backed up with statistics and hold true to many people in his generation but not in the younger ones.

Social media has been known to help students develop important knowledge and social skills. “At first glance this may seem like a waste of time; however it also helps students to develop important knowledge and social skills, and be active citizens who create and share content.” (Chen 3). The more time teens spend on social media the more they become aware of their own social side and how to interact with others, especially their peers. “Some types of social media has beneficial effects, like helping adolescents establish some sense of identity and build networking skills” (Riley Davis). Too much time being spent on social media can also exploit teens to some harsh realities that they’ve probably never experienced in their lives before.

The use of social networking sites is rising at great rates. According to a report conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project in 2012, ninety-five percent of individuals aged 12-17 use the internet; and eighty-one percent of those use social network sites (Pew Interest). Although it is known that social media can have a useful impact on lives, often times people forget that with a positive comes a negative. The continual use of social network sites will impact teen lives more negatively than positively because they can cause huge distractions from valuable and critical pursuits like education; they can also cause mental health issues and a reduction in communication skills.

The article “Teenagers and Social Networking – It Might Actually Be Good for Them” was written by Clive Thomas and appeared in the magazine The Guardian on October 5, 2013. In this article, Thomas argues that social networking can actually be beneficial to teenagers. While parents and teachers tend to worry that teenagers’ excessive use of social networking may lead to a decrease in socializing face-to-face and in literacy, studies have shown that they are wrong in doing so. This idea seems to hold merit and should become a more popular opinion. Many people believe that social networking stunts a teenager’s ability to socialize in person, but this simply isn’t true.

The youth is the biggest user of communication technology and changing social interaction in ways not yet understood. Adolescents make friends and form bonds online. Media richness is a concept that is the foundation for understanding human behavior using online communication (e.g., Allen & Griffeth, 1997; Carlson & Zmud, 1999; Kahai & Cooper, 2003; Kock, 2004). The study focused on the development of online friendships among teenagers. It was found that media richness and communication control makes teens want to engage in communication for presentation and friendship development. Being up front with a person will eliminate any doubt and speed up friendship development. Webcams and other MSN features helped facilitate a relationship between two strangers. They helped create first impressions and attract all kinds of friends. Sharing information online makes it easier to get to know someone. The adolescents used believed that self- presentation in important when instant messaging someone new. The typical high school student spent an average of 3.10 hours a day using Instant Messaging. Text messaging helped the newly formed relationships progress. The American Academy of Pediatrics published an article in 2011 about the effects of social media on teens, families. Their goal is to inform parents about the potential dangers of social media sites because not all of them are safe. Today pediatricians are helping parents

While some media news and reports seem to be truthful in their effort to inform and educate the public regarding internet addiction, it is not surprising to see bad science and misinterpretation presented in others on the same issue. The media coverage of internet addiction is damaging and blowing the issue out of context. The widespread internet concern is reinforced and underpinned by media reporting about internet addiction and young people, characteristically stressing its destructive consequence on the physical and mental health of users. This creates an immediate call for public and social attention. The media are replete with anecdote of internet victims, although they fall short of dependable

July of 2009 in Fall City, Washington, the first rehab center for Internet Addiction Disorder in the United States opened its doors. Yes, there is actually a rehab for that! One 19-year-old resident who was interviewed from the reSTART Rehab Center, compared the destruction of his internet addiction to alcoholism and drug addiction as he described how he had dropped out of school and had fought to get his life back together. Although Internet Addiction is not an official disorder and has yet to be included in the DSM-V, it is very real for an increasing number of young Americans struggling to regain control in their lives. Addiction to the internet has caused more and more young Americans to quit school, isolate themselves from family, and even lose their jobs. The internet has had a huge impact on the way most Americans today communicate. Although there are benefits, excessive use of the internet and social media has negatively impacted Americans which has led to problems like addiction, poor school and work performance, and less time spent with family.

The purpose of this paper is to show the many different ways that people can become addicted to the web (Internet) and to try to explain why. The various aspects of the web, such as the wide range of information, the advanced technology, and alternate ways of communication have contributed to its addictive nature.

Excessive use of internet and the addiction of technology has been a topic of interest. Scientist, sociologist and psychologist have looked closely to the phenomenon to understand the issue with technology in our days and how media affect our life through the use of smartphones especially.

In this case, the study proved that teens and young adults have become obsessed with social networking and has led to many questions if networking is good or bad (Conger, 2010). In 2009, the media expressed that social networking could cause harm to our bodies and brains by “shortening our attention spans” and “weakening our immune systems” (Conger, 2010). Whereas other studies that have been conducted prove the opposite and suggests that teens who spend more time on social networking sites are more likely to be “well-adjusted” and “psychologically” healthy (Healy, 2010). At this point, it’s time to investigate the pros and cons of children being on social networking sites and understand why parents are against social networking and why certain individuals feel that networking is beneficial.

Social Media has become a part of the digital world and has changed the world globally in the “online world” in which the way people live and interact with each other and businesses. Social Networks such as Facebook in particular facilitates social interaction and sharing and as a result, face-to-face interaction has been replaced with interaction on social media with both “Facebook and Twitter”. Social networks have allowed people to extend their existing networks in real life as well as digital. Thus Twitter is a place where emphasis is not just on sharing but also receiving updates and snippets from interesting people and organizations. Picture number 2 demonstrates how people connect with like-minded people that would on the contrary never come across each other in real life. In terms of job opportunities, networking is now being done online. LinkedIn a professional networking site has emphasized the importance of building up contacts in your field of work and beyond. New job opportunities and vacant positions are spread through the web rapidly than the old days “by word of mouth” and equally important by trailing the right people in your professional network to be the first to hear about important information. Social networks are about being and staying connected.

Social Media has become a part of the digital world and has changed the world globally in the “online world” in which the way people live and interact with each other and businesses. Social Networks such as Facebook in particular facilitates social interaction and sharing and as a result, face-to-face interaction has been replaced with interaction on social media with both “Facebook and Twitter”. Social networks have allowed people to extend their existing networks in real life as well as digital. Thus Twitter is a place where emphasis is not just on sharing but also receiving updates and snippets from interesting people and organizations. Picture number 2 demonstrates how people connect with like-minded people that would on the contrary never come across each other in real life. In terms of job opportunities, networking is now being done online. LinkedIn a professional networking site has emphasized the importance of building up contacts in your field of work and beyond. New job opportunities and vacant positions are spread through the web rapidly than the old days “by word of mouth” and equally important by trailing the right people in your professional network to be the first to hear about important information. Social networks are about being and staying connected.

With the development of advances in technology, communication through social networking has risen immensely. Communicating is not only less complicated, it is also relatively inexpensive. “Many teens in relationships view social media as a place where they can feel more connected with the daily events in there significant other’s life, share emotional connections, and let their significant other know they care” (Lenhart, Anderson, and Smith). However, the ease of access to social networking has allowed many adolescents to become overly involved. Networking has the potential to influence adolescents both emotionally and physically which in turn may lead to negative behaviors. An article from procon.org stated, “The use of social networking sites is correlated with personality and brain disorders, such as the inability to have in-person conversations, a need for instant gratification, ADHD, and self-centered personalities, as well as addictive behaviors” (ProCon.org). Essentially, social networking has rising negative influences on teens because of increased cyber bullying, lack of respect for personal privacy, and its addictive qualities.

Today’s youth generation, has a strong attachment to the online world. Many adolescents spend most of their time online versus offline. Therefore, one can consider these adolescents as a social network addict, a person who spends a fair amount of time on one or many social platforms. Throughout the three articles, “Social Networking Addiction: An Overview of Preliminary Findings” by Mark Griffiths, “Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship” by Nicole B. Ellison and “Taking Risky Opportunities in Youthful Content Creation: Teenagers’ use of Social Networking Sites for Intimacy, Privacy, and Self-expression” by Sonia Livingstone, show how this addiction has changed people’s communication among people. While there are