On the button above, we can find a link to the article on the social addiction by Debra Ronca. She is a content developer, writer,
and editor with more than fifteen years of online experience. She has worked
with several companies in the development of online learning programs. Today,
she works as a freelance writer with trusted partners to create engaging
websites. She is part of the SEO/Web Services at LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell,
which is a law firm, and also writes for “How Stuff Works” at Discovery
Communications.
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The author expresses the results of a study directed by the University of Southern California. The study expressed the parents’ concern about their kids spending too much time online. The statistics showed that almost half of all parents surveyed believed their kids spent too much time watching television. More than the twenty percent felt their kids spent too much time online. The study was conducted on 2007. For today’s purposes, the author, and ourselves, know that that online engagement is relatively low.
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According to experts, we have to be aware that “a lack of face-to-face contact can affect you both socially and physically” (2009). Internet addiction has not been declared a formal disorder, but it has been found to be cause of physical problems.
Debra talks about a study of the correlation between narcissism and Facebook users. “Unsurprisingly, they found that the more “friends” and wall posts a user had, the more narcissistic he or she was”. It suggests that social networks bring out the narcissist in all of us. “Being part of a social network is sort of like having your own entourage that follows you everywhere, commenting on and applauding everything you do. It’s very seductive” (2009). She is supporting the idea that we use social media to promote our selves, instead of using it in a connective way, which is the main purpose of social networks. It is like we are searching for our “friends/followers” approval and recognition. Social media is the modern way to nurture our ego. We put out all of our information, such as pictures, location, quotes, etc., to have a response from our friends, whether is a like, a comment or a share. Debra makes emphasis on the sense of building self-esteem with real friends; boosters that can help encourage us in real life.