Technology Use - Scenario #2 - Facebook Addiction

Scenario #2:

Michelle likes to go to her Facebook site.  Often she will spend two or three hours each day on Facebook.  She has a friend list of over 200-some are close friends but others are just friends of friends.  She updates her status several times a day and goes to many friends' sites as well.  Michelle's mom thinks that she has about 20 friends on Facebook.

What issues might this cause? (Ribble, 2013 p. 92)

Discussion Points: 

It is unclear in the scenario outline how old Michelle is.  I will base this discussion and view point on the assumption that she is a young adult between the ages of 13-18.

Facebook Addition 
http://socialtimes.com/files/2011
/05/facebook-addiction.jpg

1. Is the individual in the scenario using technology inappropriately?  

• Michelle clearly has a problem with addiction to Facebook (Inappropriate Digital Health and Wellness behaviour).  Her activities on Facebook are clearly inappropriate and must be first identified and then dealt with to ensure her addiction and online safety stay intact.

1. What actions make the scenario appropriate or inappropriate? 

• We may laugh at this assumption (of Facebook addiction) - that one could actually be addicted to something that seems so harmless, but Michelle is another victim of an increasingly dangerous phenomenon. 

"It is not difficult to observe the ubiquity of "Internet Addiction" as a phenomenon and/or accepted part of every day life in the Digital Age. Much less mentioned is the even more pervasive "cell phone addiction", "Crackberry addiction", "gaming addiction", or "texting addiction". Are we now at risk of seeing a vast presentation - a cultural commonality - of "Facebook Addiction Disorder"? (Or is sometimes FAD just a fad?) :-)" (Fenichel, 2011).

• Dr. M. Fenichel, Ph.D. (president of the International Society of Mental Health Online (ISMHO)), argues that some people identify facebook as a part of regular daily life, similar to gossip around the watercooler, and as such should not 'be painted as "addictive" so much as just another daily life tool in the world of the 21st Century' (Fenichel, 2011).  He continues by stating that "the phenomenon of social networking has left the arena of personal and group networking to a very public and constant arena which allows for strong reinforcement of exhibitionist, voyeuristic, &/or interaction-seeking behavior, often in combination.  Add to the instant texting component the ability to post pictures and videos, play pop-psychology and pop-culture games and quizzes ("applications"), follow (slightly less closely than Twitter) the every move, decision, feeling, and random thought of everyone in countless networks, and also maintain a homepage/"wall" for all to see and visit, and this is the best possible recipe for significant (behavioral) addiction, as it fills a large and "normal" part of so many lives."
• Michelle is replacing her personal connection social world with the illusion of a grand circle of people who 'Like' her and the activities that she posts several times a day.  Is this all at the expense of Michelle's ability to participate in 'of Real Life (RL), or to be more accurate, Non-Online Life?' (Fenichel, 2011)

"Facebook Addiction Disorder, is a condition that is defined by hours spent on Facebook, so much time in fact that the healthy balance of the individual’s life is affected. It has been said that approximately 350 million people are suffering from the disorder that is detected through a simple set of six-criteria" (Summers, 2011).

(Summers, 2011) continues by describing the criteria to watch for:

• "1. Tolerance: Term is used to describe the desperate behavior of a Facebook addict. They spend an increasing amount of time on the site, coming to a stage where they need it in order to obtain satisfaction or on the other extreme, it is having a detrimental affect on them as a person and their life.
• 2.  Withdrawal symptoms:  Common signs are anxiety, distress and the need to talk about Facebook and what might have been posted on their wall in their absence.
•  3.  Reduction of normal social/recreational activities: Someone suffering from FAD will reduce the time spent catching up with friends, playing sport or whatever it is they used to enjoy doing, to simply spend time on Facebook.
•  4.  Virtual dates : Real dates are replaced with virtual dates. Instead of going to the movies or out to dinner, they tell their partner to be online at a certain time."  Applicable to 'friends' as well.
• " 5.  Fake friends: 8 out of 10 people shown on their Facebook page are complete strangers.
• 6.  Complete addiction: When they meet new people, they say their name, followed by “I’ll talk to you on Facebook”, or for those who are extremely bad, “I’ll see you in Facebook”. Their pets have Facebook pages, and any notifications, wall posts, in boxes or friend requests that they receive give them a high, one which can be compared to that gambling addicts get from the pokies or roulette table"  (Summers, 2011).

Does Michelle seem to fit into one, two or more of the criteria outlined above? Is it time for her mother to be concerned.

You Don't Know Who's Out There. (2013).
 “Help Beanies” [Online Image]

In addition to a demonstrated FAD, Michelle is exposing herself to Digital Security Issues.  Digital Security is defined as "The electronic precautions to guarantee safety" (Ribble, 2011, p.40). 

With Michelle's volume of 200 'friends' and 'friends of friends', she exposes herself, her person information, and her personal safety to hackers, child stalkers, thieves, and anyone else who are looking to deface and disrupt anyone's life.

 "As responsible citizens, we must protect our information from outside forces that might cause disruption or harm"  (Ribble, 2013).

Cyber Eye Watching. (2013)

Ribble (2013), posts some excellent food for thought here: 

'How do we balance digital security with digital access? What security measures would you advocate for Michelle? How can we create a secure digital community without creating unfounded fears in our digital world?'

3.  What could or should the individual have done differently??

 Has Michelle been correctly guided and educated on the dangers of online stalkers?  Has she been made aware of the dangers lurking behind that computer screen? Have the security settings been correctly set by her mother to ensure Michelle not go where she should not be?  I think not!  Internet Privacy and Safety should be at Michelle's mothers first priority and sooner rather than later!

 
These videos might give Michelle and her mother food for thought:

What one reporter found on Facebook that you may not want to share!

 

And here, some helpful tips for parents.

So what tips do you think are helpful both to Michelle and for her mother?  Or are we really making a big deal about nothing?

Send me some feedback - Am I just making something out of nothing here?  Did your kids grow up just fine without having to set some AUP's for them?

References:

Fenichel, M. Dr. Ph.D. (2011, April 25). Facebook Addiction [Web blog article]. Retrieved from http://tcfir-blog.ning.com/profiles/blogs/facebook-addiction-disorder

 Summers, A. (2011). Facebook addiction disorder — the 6 symptoms of f.a.d. SocialTimes, Retrieved from http://socialtimes.com/facebook-addiction-disorder-the-6-symptoms-of-f-a-d_b60403

 Ribble, M. (2011). Digital citizenship in schools (2nd Ed.). Washington, D.C:  International Society for Technology in Education

 Ribble, M. (2013). Nine themes of digital citizenship. Retrieved from http://digitalcitizenship.net/Nine_Elements.html

 Helping Kids Stay Safe Online.  (2013, June 24). Helping Kids Stay Safe Online [Video]. 

Facebook Dangers. (2009, May 25). Facebook Dangers [Video].