Journal tomhudson's Journal: Doctors warn that exposure to Facebook harms the brain. 12
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1834682.stm
The addictive nature of web browsing can leave you with an attention span of nine seconds - the same as a goldfish.
"Our attention span gets affected by the way we do things," says Ted Selker, an expert in the online equivalent of body language at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US.
This is not news - this is from February of 2002.
So why should we be surprised by
Social networking websites are causing alarming changes in the brains of young users, an eminent scientist has warned.
Sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Bebo are said to shorten attention spans, encourage instant gratification and make young people more self-centred.
The claims from neuroscientist Susan Greenfield will make disturbing reading for the millions whose social lives depend on logging on to their favourite websites each day
BTW: Interesting how Facebook users are becoming more and more like people with autism.
http://www.kfor.com/news/local/kfor-news-nbc-facebook-brain-damage-story,0,4972016.story
One British scientist is raising flags about how this could be bad for the brain.
He says too much time on social networking sites can result in sensationalism, lack of empathy and short attention span.
quick poll
If you believed that social networking sites are harmful, can you give them up?
[X] I don't have enough attention to read this far down the page - (preselected for the AADD social media generation)
[_] I'm not addicted. I can give it up any time.
[_] I checked the above answer - that's my story and I'm sticking to
[_] You can have my social media wesites when you blah blah blah what is the question again?
[_] On Soviet Facebook, social media desocializes YOU!
[_] I'm only there because my friends are.
[_] My job depends on keeping this whole "social media" craze overhyped, you insensitive b*tch!
[_] Your poll is broken. Where's the "like" link?
[_] I'm thinking of giving it up for other reasons
[_] Yes
[_] Yes, easily.
[_] I don't read socialist media like Pravda, you dirty pinko commie!
Your missing an answer (Score:1)
[X] I already have ADHD and I laugh at the poor sobs who can't live with a short attention span.
Part of the reason Facebook is addictive is because humans enjoy looking at other people's faces. As someone on the ADHD/Autism/WhatTheFuckEverSpectrum I find looking at faces to be Boring As Shit.
So yah. Facebook is pointless to me. I login maybe once a month, if that.
Likewise Facebook games are pointless. No challenge, meh.
I have more to say on the topic, but I have to get to work.
Re: (Score:2)
People log into facebook to look at each others' faces? Honestly, I would have never considered that. Face pr0n. Especially interesting when you consider that apes and humans consider looking directly at a stranger's face to be an aggressive territorial challenge. (watch a salesperson lying to you - they'll look you right in the face).
Re: (Score:1)
Dude, its right in the name. :)
People enjoy looking at pictures of other people's faces. I don't know if this is more true for females than males, I have seen women spend an hour+ just flipping through pictures of people on Facebook. Of course part of this is that they are also looking at who is hanging out with who, evaluating social circles, and so forth. Basically the same thing that they would do at a dinner party.
Speaking of 9 seconds and dinner
Re: (Score:2)
So is book, but somehow I doubt that most of the people using facebook have their faces in a book all that often :-)
If I'm involved, all of them :-)
You can get people to talk for more than 9 seconds by listening to what they have to say. respond with more than 6-12 word sentence fragments, and can point out the funny stuff in life (people really like - and n
Re: (Score:1)
I was more pointing out that other aspects of life are often trivial and inconsequential. Facebook wasn't the first time waster in human history.
Sure you aren't thinking of MySpace? ;)
I'll have to go with (Score:2)
[_] I don't have enough attention to read this far down the page - (preselected for the AADD social media generation) ... oh, shiny!!!
[_] I'm not addicted. I can give it up any time.
[_] I checked the above answer - that's my story and I'm sticking to
[_] You can have my social media wesites when you blah blah blah what is the question again?
[_] On Soviet Facebook, social media desocializes YOU!
[_] I'm only there because my friends are.
[_] My job depends on keeping this whole "social media" craze overhyped, y
Re: (Score:2)
That is so awesome. I think I've found my new sig. :-)
Missing options (Score:2)
-(for me) Deleted my account already.
Re: (Score:2)
You know, that would be an interesting project ... a set of scripts that logs in, posts refried stuff, asks everyone to friend them, friends everyone, and see how popular it gets.
FB (Score:2)
Too long (Score:2)
Didn't read. :-|
Facebook? (Score:1)
[ ] I don't have enough attention to read this far down the page - (preselected for the AADD social media generation) ... oh, shiny!!!
[_] I'm not addicted. I can give it up any time.
[_] I checked the above answer - that's my story and I'm sticking to
[_] You can have my social media wesites when you blah blah blah what is the question again?
[_] On Soviet Facebook, social media desocializes YOU!
[_] I'm only there because my friends are.
[_] My job depends on keeping this whole "social media" craze overhyped,