Addicted to the Innertubes?
// November 23rd, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Internet, Life
I’m doing a research paper right now, and I think like everyone, I keep multi tasking. Switching music, watching youtube, checking facebook, playing a mini game here and there. However I found some information that was striking.
The first U.S. residential treatment center for Internet addiction opened this summer in Washington state.
The Internet has simplified our lives in numerous ways while allowing us to what we want, fast. It has also allowed us to reconnect with old friends, neighbors, co-workers and family through social networking sites such as Facebook. By communicating to others, regardless that is is done through the Internet, we are strengthening our relationships. Social networking along with social media has revolutionized how we live in society today. Social networking sites bring people with common interests together, offer exposure to new ideas from around the world, and are able overcome social anxiety. People who have a difficulty communicating in person are more comfortable interacting via the Internet. And not always are the most sociable people in real life are the most active online. Also, social networking sites allow for creative expression in a new modern way. They provide free messaging, blogging, photo storage, games, event invitations, and many other services to anybody, fast. Social networking sites had a huge impact with the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election and how the Iranian protesters used twitter to organize anti-government protests recently. I personally think the positive things that come from Social Networking and media outweigh the problems, and critics need to understand that it’s time for an information and social revolution.
However, pretty much like everything else in life: Advantages come with disadvantages. Social networking sites make give someone a false sense of security. Are your friends really your friends? This leads to identity online. Social networking sites have no way to verify that people are who they claim to be, leaving people vulnerable to messages from online predators who are able to hide their true identities. Also, the hours a day of face-to-face socializing has declined as the use of social networking sites and other media has increased. Being anonymous online is so easy, even for sex offenders and criminals. Cybercriminals can gather information to be used for identity theft from social networking profiles, such as birthdays, pet names, mothers’ maiden names, names of children, and other details often used in passwords and security questions for bank accounts or to other important websites.
The bottom question I think is: Were these social networking sites created to make money or to ease people’s social lives?
If you’re curious take the net addiction test.
I think the biggest transition in anyone’s life the year after senior year. The year you leave all of your beloved family members friends. Friends who you knew since kindergarden, middle school or from facebook. School that had strict rules with limited freedom and with lab nazis who would yell at you for restarting the computer because Microsoft Word would take 20 minutes to open up. Now, in college, freedom is crawling in and out of everybody’s residence halls and out of everyone’s laptops. You can check our facebook whenever we want, as if that’s all we do in class. The best of all, you don’t have to raise your hand and ask to use the bathroom! I remember in high school I got a detention because I left to use the restroom after I used all my available bathroom passes. Like seriously, teachers go to school to teach, not to babysit our bodily functions. If high schools are trying to prepare us for college, I think someone should let them know that you don’t need a bathroom pass to visit the bathroom in college.