Exploring the Effects of Facebook Addiction

Exploring the Effects of Facebook Addiction

Table of Contents:

Executive Summary………………………………………………………………………..2

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………....3

Research……………………………………………………………………………………5

Discussion…………………………………………………………………………………..8

Recommendations………………………………………………………………………….10

Limitations and Conclusion…………………………………………………………………12

References…………………………………………………………………………………..13

Appendix A…………………………………………………………………………………...16

Appendix B…………………………………………………………………………………...17

Executive Summary

This paper is meant to determine the effects of Facebook addiction and see how it affects people in everyday life throughout the world. Based on the data we found, we look to find the significance of Facebook addiction and how it can be treated effectively. We want to assess the damage Facebook addiction can cause and what the root cause of not only Facebook, but social media addiction as a whole. Our research is comprised of data from various websites that help us determine the problems people have with Facebook attachment as well as what causes them to increase their reliance on the social media site. This paper examines the forms of Facebook addiction and how it relates to other forms of addiction. It’s goal to enhance our understanding of Facebook addiction and make recommendations as to how it can be treated.  

Introduction

Facebook has become so much a part of our life now in today’s digital age. Instead of reading the newspaper in the morning people are more likely to check their newsfeeds and update their statuses. With over half a billion users throughout the world, a Facebook account is about as common as an email account. The amount of time users spend on Facebook activities, like updating statuses, posting photos, commenting and ‘liking’ posts has been increasing with the development of smartphones and enhancements in wireless network performance.  Some people also find the time to enjoy other features offered by Facebook such as their games and reactions to posts. As Facebook shifts to becoming as prevalent as TV/radio in our everyday lives, it is becoming increasingly difficult for many people to identify the signs of social media addiction like Facebook.

The use of Facebook has increased exponentially since its launch in 2004. We found millennials tend to spend more time on the site than their older generation counterparts. Our research found that people who are anxious and socially insecure use Facebook more than those who are outgoing and introverted, We believe people who have social anxiety find it easier to communicate via social media than face-to-face interaction.

Facebook addiction is growing at an alarming rate. Facebook and other social media sites are very easy to access and they provide easy communication to friends and family abroad. What many do not realize is that social media addiction is reducing face-to-face interaction and damaging our social skills as well as creating a sedentary lifestyle. We are becoming more comfortable sitting in front of a computer screen rather than talking to friends and family.

Facebook addiction is considered to be an illness powered by strong urge. There is a compulsion factor to it because not browsing on Facebook creates anxiety and stress among addicts. It is considered to be an urge because browsing through Facebook is meant to be an enjoyable experience. Facebook is one of the most popular social networking sites and has over 600 million users globally. We have found seven general symptoms to suggest Facebook addiction. These include: spending excessive time browsing through Facebook, sharing one’s confidential information on the site, being extremely conscientious about creating a favourable image on Facebook, checking the website for updates frequently, continuously adding new friends, and posting on Facebook rather than engaging in a social life outside of home.

It is important to identify an addiction and stop it if one is present. If we allow Facebook addiction to grow without any action against it, we will become too reliant on computers and slowly start to lose touch with the outside world. Our interpersonal skills will be diminished and we will lose grip of reality. Facebook addicts believe they can hide from the real world when they are in front of their computer screen. Staying inside on the computer all day also leads to a sedentary lifestyle. This is likely to cause an increase in obesity rates and other health effects such as high blood pressure. A study conducted by two German universities found envy prevalent on the social media site. According to Anna Krasnova from the Institute of Information Systems at Berlin’s Humboldt University: “We were surprised by how many people have a negative experience from Facebook with envy leaving them feeling lonely, frustrated or angry,”.

We believe that Facebook addiction is harmful because it decreases real world interaction, contributes to depression, and increases people’s reliance on computers.

Research

While researching information on our topic, we found that there is many people in today's society that are Facebook addicts. Even though there is not actually a way to diagnose someone with this disease, many people suffer. It is said that 90% of communication is nonverbal, we can blame this on social media and technology. In 2016, 71% of people in Canada use Facebook more than any other social media platform. More than half of the people in Canada are on Facebook today and share information daily. More than 19 million Canadians are now logging onto Facebook at least once every month. That is more than half the country’s population. 14 million Canadians check their newsfeed every single day. When you see people in public on their phones, 1.15 billion people in the world are mobile daily active users.