Reality Raffield LBST 2100 Professor Adam Padgett The Damage of Social Media As new technology and new

networks evolve, people want to remain with the latest and most advanced of these systems. Taking part in the modern culture, people sacrifice privacy and solitude. Either they are unaware or have become desensitized and agree that it is okay. The targeted age group seems to be a bit naive when it comes to "oversharing". They feel that as long as they use their personal phone or personal accounts, they are safe. This can get us into more trouble than we realize. Something I found that has confirmed my beliefs about technology is a "disorder" brought on by texting, or the lack there of. People can depend on their phone so much that their well being is affected. They are not satisfied when they are not receiving text messages and this can lead to depression and loneliness. Sadly, I have seen this happen. At one time no one had the opportunity to feel lonely without a text. The new technology and growth of social networks, has brought new problems in society. It puts thoughts into peoples heads that should not be there. Texting isn't the main issue. The article titled appropriately "Facebook Depression" states that:

"Social networking sites (SNSs) are the most popular Internet activity among adolescents [1]. More than 70% of adolescents use SNSs, most commonly Facebook [2]. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently released a report on the effects of social media on children and adolescents, suggesting that exposure to Facebook could lead to depression."
It is easy to see how these social networks are affecting this generation. As teenagers are "finding themselves" and growing up, they look for approval from their peers. Since we know teenagers may not be the most understanding and uplifting of people, there is tremendous amounts of emotional damage that occurs between them. The book "The Digital Divide" by Mark Bauerlein, hosts opinions regarding new technology and the separation is brought between generations. About ten years ago when this boom of technology began, it grabbed onto the younger generations and has not slowed down since. Mark Bauerlein writes:

And it has happened so quickly. Cell phones, email, the web, YouTube, and the rest have speeded up communications, shopping, photographing, and studying, and they have also quickened the conversion of each new and desirable invention into a regular part of life.
It is staggering to read about the distance felt by our elders due to the technology we were born into. It becomes a second language to us. We are never alone, we never experience

solitude for this reason. We don't see the difference it is making in our lives. Everyone is doing it, right? Another downside to these social network sites is that there are not only connections and shared information between friends, but strangers are welcomed to view and respond making one person's opinion (sometimes being quite brutal) visible. In the article "Social Media and Privacy" John R Clark expresses the growth of technology by saying:

These virtual communities allow people to interact over the Internet in a way that is far beyond the static web pages, text messages, and email of the 1990s. [] The posted material can be accessed by people for whom it was never intended, and that is where the harm often begins. Regardless of the privacy settings set by the individual user, personal information and communications posted may be read by nearly anyone and everyone.
Needless to say, this damaging in more ways than one. If the emotional side not enough, the dangerous possibilities of information running aimlessly and freely, can be sometimes lifethreatening. More caution should be taking taken by users of any social network. More education about what could go wrong when using these sites should be given .

Facebook Depression? Social Networking Site Use and Depression in Older Adolescents

Lauren A. Jelenchick, M.P.H

Jens C. Eickhoff, Ph.D.c, Megan A. Moreno, M.D., M.S.Ed., M.P.H.a

4/6/2014Bauerlein, Mark. 2011. The digital divide: arguments for and against Facebook, Google, texting, and the age of social networking. New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin.

Social Media and Privacy John R. Clark, JD, MBA, NREMT-P, FP-C, CCP-C, CMTE