Is Online Social Networking Detrimental?
Some users need help getting beyond their addiction
Alfredo Aleman
Posted on: 11/13/08 Section: Opinion
Social networking has taken over the Internet and has become one of the most popular means of communication among 17- to 24-year-olds. Countless hours are wasted each day on sites like MySpace and Facebook as people eagerly wait to read their friends' comments and status updates on their page.
While studies show that spending a lot of time online can be detrimental to the mind, a bigger question remains unanswered: Who is at fault for those countless hours wasted searching for friends online?
The quick answer would be to blame the social network sites themselves. The networks simply provide the platform for people in the above age demographic to communicate online.
The blame for the social networking addiction cannot be placed on the supplier, but more so on those who failed to prevent it.
If someone cares enough to see that their friend or family member is showing symptoms of Internet addiction, they should take a proactive role to ensure that it does not negatively affect their life.
Though it is difficult to keep track of what our friends and family do with their free time, we have a social responsibility to speak up when we see a problem.
Sites like Facebook and MySpace cannot be held accountable, its main purpose is to allow people to stay in touch.
While some may argue that these sites have replaced more personal forms of communication, like writing a letter, they can be considered a cheaper means of communication considering snail mail and text messaging fees.
If a parent sees their child online for more than eight hours on MySpace, it is the parent's responsibility to take action and intervene before their child becomes susceptible to the perils of the online world.
If a friend is in danger of failing a class and would rather be online than study, or go to a social gathering, we as friends have a responsibility to at least acknowledge that there is a problem.
President-elect Barack Obama said it best: we need to take a more active role in the lives of the people we care about. We need to stop pointing the finger and looking for things to blame when the solution
is taking the time to see how people are doing. While moderation is the key in fixing our Internet addiction, we are the key to fixing the bigger issues.
While studies show that spending a lot of time online can be detrimental to the mind, a bigger question remains unanswered: Who is at fault for those countless hours wasted searching for friends online?
The quick answer would be to blame the social network sites themselves. The networks simply provide the platform for people in the above age demographic to communicate online.
The blame for the social networking addiction cannot be placed on the supplier, but more so on those who failed to prevent it.
If someone cares enough to see that their friend or family member is showing symptoms of Internet addiction, they should take a proactive role to ensure that it does not negatively affect their life.
Though it is difficult to keep track of what our friends and family do with their free time, we have a social responsibility to speak up when we see a problem.
Sites like Facebook and MySpace cannot be held accountable, its main purpose is to allow people to stay in touch.
While some may argue that these sites have replaced more personal forms of communication, like writing a letter, they can be considered a cheaper means of communication considering snail mail and text messaging fees.
If a parent sees their child online for more than eight hours on MySpace, it is the parent's responsibility to take action and intervene before their child becomes susceptible to the perils of the online world.
If a friend is in danger of failing a class and would rather be online than study, or go to a social gathering, we as friends have a responsibility to at least acknowledge that there is a problem.
President-elect Barack Obama said it best: we need to take a more active role in the lives of the people we care about. We need to stop pointing the finger and looking for things to blame when the solution
is taking the time to see how people are doing. While moderation is the key in fixing our Internet addiction, we are the key to fixing the bigger issues.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Aleman's Nemesis
posted 11/19/08 @ 11:09 PM PST
I'm gonna share this story on my facebook and wait online for my friends to read it and comment on it, and read their comments and comment back on them. (Continued…)
mijoru
Aleman's Nemesis
posted 11/19/08 @ 11:11 PM PST
I'm gonna share this story on my facebook and wait online for my friends to read it and comment on it, and read their comments and comment back on them. (Continued…)
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