Facebook and social media have always proven to be quite controversial, mostly because we recognize that there may be unforeseeable consequences to their use. Most people have noted for themselves the lack of interpersonal skills that the new tech generation has. Texting, email, and posting on each other's Facebook walls are more popular forms of indirect communication favored by the younger set.
Now a new report by the American Academy of Pediatrics (www.aap.org) has pointed out a new hazard of social media use called "Facebook depression." There is an "intensity" in the online world that parallels real world social circles and therefore, someone who feels ignored and excluded in virtual world may then exhibit the same depressive symptoms as someone in the real world. I think the internet has both the power to connect and the power to isolate. What is of particular concern is the fact that it may be even more isolating if you consider that many people use the internet when they are by themselves.
I think it's important to keep in mind that social media sites, despite their name, should not replace socializing in person. We lose the ability to understand each other as human beings via the internet because you cannot comprehend someone's facial expression or tone of voice through an email, text or a status update. I suspect that miscommunication has also been on the rise despite everyone becoming more able to connect with a wider range of people.
Full original report can be found here
What do you like/dislike about social media sites?
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