This might seem hypocritical since I am part of the two biggest social network sites (Facebook and Twitter). But I have a strong belief that these things do more harm than good. I think the furthest networking should go is instant messaging, because sometimes there are people far out of your reach. Things like Skype have a benefit, bringing people closer and eliminating the distance. I did some research on the negative effects of social networking and I must honestly say I found very shocking articles. If we continue to spend more and more time on the internet, TV and anything anti-social, we are selling our future of lively playgrounds, noisy coffee shops, and busy parks away.

There are so many people complaining to me about the amount of time they spend on Facebook is causing them to fall behind in their academics and even their careers. Some people are trying to use Facebook as a means to pour their emotions. Once someone find so much positive responses on their statuses, they obtain a sense of comfort, thus they come back more often for emotional comfort.

I read in some articles that social networks can increase the risk of serious health illnesses. They are the cause of increased isolation, which can alter the way genes work, upset immune responses, hormone levels and function of the arteries. 209 ‘socially regulated’ genes have been identified, including ones involved in the immune system and cell proliferation.

As money hungry marketers continue to enter these social networks for the sole purpose of boosting up their sales, social networking becomes more than just social networking but more of a control tool. We continue to fall into these traps everyday unknowingly. Incorporating our real daily lives with these so-called cyber lives comes with a huge price. It is saddening, and it worries me what the future would be like 10 years from now, and who would be affected most, us, or the generation to come. Hopefully parents are realizing things are going downhill and nurturing their children to be more social (and not play video games all day). Maybe, just maybe, the next generation will learn from us and be a little bit smarter.

However, I am not saying we are gone cases and there is nothing WE can do about what is going on. Facebook has a “deactivate my account” button for those who cannot take it anymore, but for those who can control the time they spend on it, I would highly recommend it. Social networks should be only part of our lives and not our lives. With all its downsides, who does not want to see the new pictures Jane has of her trip to Italy, or who does not want to be the first to hear about the balloon boy. Facebook has its advantages, but it is outweighed by its disadvantages that we all need to be aware of so that we do not fall victims. The main concern is the increasing amount of teens and young adults who have a greater preference for a virtual world over a real one. As for myself, I am experimenting on spending less time on here because most of my friends are scattered all over the planet, but if it does not work I'd rather leave.