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Facebook Fanatics
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Written by Caitlin Brands, Staff Writer
Since the turn of the millennium, the bulk of the American population can be found on some social network. These networks, more specifically Facebook, have recently been dominating the lives of adolescents. Why have we become obsessed with social networking? The answer is simple, because everyone else is. What’s worse is that the Facebook fad is affecting teens in more ways than expected.
Cyber bullying has been an issue ever since kids were able to get a hold of a computer, and it’s growing uncontrollably due to the increase in popularity of social networking. It’s a way for one to threaten another without putting themselves in direct danger. A new strain of cyber bullying, Formspring, is becoming more and more noticeable. An applicant can receive anonymous messages and questions through an account. Some can be compliments, but more often it’s a convenient way for people to abuse the system by making comments such as, “Why are you so stupid?” or “You’re so ugly, and everyone feels sorry for you.” By using these applications, some people feel that it’s alright to bash others, because there is no way for the victim to know who it is. Is this how teenagers are supposed to act? Are we supposed to hide behind a computer screen and never handle our problems verbally and maturely? People need to start thinking about how one’s words could hurt, even if it is “only a joke.”
If a teen spends a minimum of 3 hours combined, whether it’s on the computer or through their cell phone, odds are their schoolwork and grades becomes a second priority to the new updates made by their ‘friends’ on Facebook. Ever since the application to get Facebook and wireless internet on cell phones, students have been messaging each other during classes and have the ability to cheat on tests. Teachers can only go half way on teaching; it’s the students’ responsibility to meet them the rest of the way. But if they don’t have a clue on what the teacher is referring to, how can they learn? Spending hours a day on facebook isn’t going to get you into college, studying will.
Facebook is an addictive problem; it can be a huge distraction for daily responsibilities. If we all start putting limits on ourselves and how often we check our homepage, then maybe we can help improve the quality of life
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