Internet ‘awesome’ but dangers lurk

The Internet has been around for quite some time. Depending on your definition, some might say it’s been around since the 1960s.
However, the Internet we’ve come to know and love (or hate) really didn’t come together until the mid to late 1990s, and early 2000s. As technologies advanced, the Internet’s potential skyrocketed. It wasn’t long until the introduction of social media began to attract teenagers.

With social media websites like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Tumblr practically dominating teenagers’ lives these days, it probably doesn’t surprise anyone that, according to iKeepSafe.org, teenagers spend up to 44.5 hours a week in front of some sort of screen.

Whilst there is no scientific evidence backing parents’ paranoia that prolonged electronic use could lead to temporary or permanent eye damage, the prolonged inactivity, and the lack of social skills that can result from being online far too often (as opposed to going out with friends or to social activities), can have bad consequences for a person’s mental and bodily health. According to a University of Michigan study, prolonged online activity on our favorite social media websites like Facebook can cause a lower sense of well being, and feelings of depression.

Whilst the Internet is a pretty awesome place — practically a knowledge goldmine — teenagers, and pretty much any age group, need to limit their use of the Internet. Not only can being online too often cause depression and a lower sense of well being, but it can also lead to erratic sleeping cycles. The light from computer monitors, cellphones, televisions, etc. suppresses the sleep-promoting hormone, melatonin.

Electronics also induce a false sense of awareness. Whilst our bodies might be handling the effects of prolonged use of electronics today, excessive use of electronics and the Internet can lead to long-term health issues including obesity, diabetes, heart disease and insomnia.
The Internet might be fun, but it’s not worth it when you have to take five pills a day at 35 because of some bad lifestyle choices in your youth. An active lifestyle will decrease the probability of health issues as you age, and a social lifestyle will increase your probability of success in the real world where charisma and people-skills are so desperately needed.

-Zion Moulder, MYAC Historian and Secretary

ARTICLE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE NEWS SUN, FEBRUARY, 2014