Newsletter Information Technology Department v2.0 - dbit moodle ...
Newsletter Information Technology Department v2.0 - dbit moodle ...
Newsletter Information Technology Department v2.0 - dbit moodle ...
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Five (serious) symptoms of Facebook<br />
addiction<br />
-Denzil Sequeira(T.E. IT)<br />
Summary: Facebook, in retrospect, can be addictive — not in the “society is addicted to Facebook” but in a very<br />
serious way. Here are five symptoms to look out for.<br />
Hi, I’m a DBIT student, and I’m a Facebook addict.<br />
Addiction is partly in the mind, and we can all be gripped by something that throttles everything else in our life. From<br />
social media to hardcore broadband connections; even knitting. Well, maybe not knitting as the core Generation Y<br />
activity of choice, but you can see where I’m going with this.<br />
My relationship with Facebook is on a rocky edge at the moment. Though I accept I spend a great amount of time on the<br />
mobile application and site as so many of us do, I have taken a break for my own sense of sanity.<br />
While I argue that Facebook has become so intrinsic to our social relationships, we have yet to develop the filtering skills<br />
to take away the emotionless, draining energies from the site that we do not get in real life. Facing social exclusion, the<br />
need to detach myself from the overly sensitive minutiae that comes with over-use, it’s important to highlight the genuine<br />
symptoms of Facebook addiction.<br />
1. You become paranoid: “Why hasn’t this person messaged me back?”<br />
A common symptom, it seems, paranoia can grip anyone from a small amount to a dangerous level.<br />
The problem is that Facebook only tells you a little amount, rather than everything. Idle times are displayed with a sleep<br />
icon, but Facebook mobile users are always ‘online’, but may not have their phone with them. Though Facebook has<br />
chat presence, it does not guarantee that the person will respond, let alone see the message in the first place.<br />
Also, what is the maximum time to respond to someone? Sites like Facebook do not take into account individual patterns<br />
of usage, and all but expects others to be online all the time too.<br />
For those waiting for a response, the temptation is to call or to text, or to follow up with another Wall post or message.<br />
“Why haven’t they responded?”; logical processes go out the window and paranoia sets in, questioning why they haven’t<br />
replied. Who hasn’t been there?<br />
2. You spend more than an hour or five on the site.<br />
Excessive use of anything is all-relative. I, personally, have a massive oxygen addiction. I love to breathe, and have no<br />
plans to kick the habit just yet.<br />
6 - Tech-IT <strong>Newsletter</strong> <strong>v2.0</strong><br />
But spending more than an hour or two on Facebook per day is probably too<br />
much, for an ordinary ‘consumer’ user. Granted, many use Facebook for work<br />
or in some corporate setting, but most should not spend more than an hour on<br />
the social network.<br />
Running through the day, we spend about half an hour in the bathroom per day,<br />
excluding showering and whatnot. We take an hour for lunch. We often spend<br />
an hour or so travelling to and from work or campus. Relatively speaking, if<br />
you are spending more time on Facebook than you do “on the john” — or using<br />
Facebook whilst you are on the toilet — please seek help.<br />
3. A confusion of the divergence of real life and Facebook<br />
There have been times — no doubt you will have to — where you have seen<br />
something posted on Facebook as a status update, and later on it has been<br />
rekindled as an actual memory.<br />
It’s not uncommon, as often statuses are updated of what people are doing,<br />
thinking or going to do. But to actively forget when something has not happened<br />
in person but ‘remembered’ through a passing update, is somewhat worrying.<br />
It’s indicative that you’ve spent a great deal of time on the site too, which again<br />
goes as a strike against the addiction from the second point.<br />
4. Excessive friend building and Wall posts<br />
Sometimes people find that Facebook is an ego-related thing, and the need<br />
to build up an online ‘portfolio’ is a social need, in order to fully represent<br />
whom they want to be in real life.<br />
To add a constant stream of statuses and photos, videos and application<br />
updates may be one way of filling up time — time that could be better spent<br />
elsewhere.<br />
It can be an addiction in itself; the need to constantly update people on what<br />
you are doing, where and why you are doing it; something that could be<br />
construed as ’showing off’ or boasting.<br />
5. Depression sets in during downtime, and other withdrawal symptoms<br />
Often, addictions are formed around a lacking something. It would not<br />
be amiss to suggest that those who spend a lot of time on Facebook do so<br />
because of a lack of other engagements.<br />
When that void is not filled but the addictive matter is taken away, withdrawal<br />
symptoms set in — such as anger, anxiety, depression and other similar feelings.<br />
It’s not quite as though you have been deprived from coffee all day, but does<br />
share some similarities.<br />
When depression or other hidden, mind-orientated symptoms set in, such as<br />
frustration or as though you are missing out on something, then this again<br />
should be a cause for concern. Breaking up with an addiction is incredibly hard<br />
to do, but to do it in stages makes the arduous task easier.<br />
V2.0<br />
FACT FILe<br />
Couple asks Facebook<br />
users to pick child’s<br />
name<br />
The couple wasn’t interested in the<br />
conventional methods of picking a name.<br />
everyone on the social network (a<br />
potential 800 million votes) can participate.<br />
Rather than ask for suggestions, they’ve<br />
narrowed down the list to four names they’re<br />
particularly fond of: McKenna,Madelyn,<br />
Addilyne,and emily.<br />
Voting will end as soon as the baby is born,<br />
and if there’s a tie, they’ll just flip a coin.<br />
You can vote on the poll on the following<br />
Facebook Page, which even has an<br />
ultrasound scan of the baby: Name My<br />
Child; you’ll have to give the app access to<br />
your Facebook account first.<br />
The Meskes had no trouble<br />
naming their firstborn, now 4-year-old<br />
Brianna.<br />
“My in-laws think it’s funny. They know<br />
my personality,” Dave told the Daily<br />
Herald. “My parents think I’m crazy;<br />
they tell me, ‘You’re such a goofball.’”<br />
This is not the first time Facebook has<br />
been involved in naming a baby. Back in<br />
February, an Egyptian father named his<br />
firstborn daughter “Facebook” to show<br />
his appreciation for the social network.<br />
In May, an Israeli couple named their<br />
daughter “Like”, after the Facebook<br />
feature.<br />
Don Bosco Institute Of <strong>Technology</strong>- 7