It’s almost an understatement to say that teenagers today depend on technology on a daily basis. For most, even a single day without the internet is too unbearable to imagine.

What is it that keeps millions of young people logged onto the World Wide Web for hours at a time? It’s none other than our neighborhood social networking site, Facebook. With over 350 million users and an estimated 450,000 new users every day, legions of teenagers across North America and beyond are hooked on this internet phenomenon.

Founded by Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg and a couple of his dorm mates, Facebook first started off as an electronic alternative to “face books” used by freshmen at the college to memorize each other’s faces and names. In time, it evolved into the Facebook we know today, open to everyone 13 or over. It seems harmless enough, yet as the number of users have mushroomed, so too has the Facebook addiction.

The secret of its allure is in the construction of the very site – case-in point, the red notification on the bottom right corner of the page that never seems to stop growing. Unfortunately, this is not a once-in-a-blue-moon problem.

Most teenagers have admitted to neglecting homework because of Facebook. Other addictive activities include joining groups, raking virtual crops on Farmville, sending online gifts, or simply catching up with old friends. All of this and more keeps the average user online for about 300 minutes a month.
The good news is that people are slowly recognizing the negative effects of this online addiction, and are resolving to cut back on Facebook time. The question still remains: what’s the difference between a user and an addict? The problem is, the line is so thin, it’s hard to identify. Thankfully, in the past year, CNN has come up with five signs of a Facebook addiction:

1) If you ever lose sleep over Facebook: Staying up late to finish a project is one thing, but if you find yourself staying up late because you can’t tear yourself away from those profile pages, then you have a problem.

2) If your daily Facebook use exceeds 60 minutes: Determining a healthy time limit for social networking is a tough task, but many experts agree that spending more than an hour on Facebook is in excess and might be an indication of an addiction.

3) If you are creeping over the profiles of former flames: While reconnecting with friends, family, or exes is perhaps the greatest appeal of Facebook, most people don’t realize when it gets out of hand. It’s important to realize that while catching up and talking to an ex one day is one thing, but obsessing over their status updates and keeping a constant eye on their profiles is quite another.

4) If you choose Facebook over something: If you are supposed to do a chore, go to work, write an essay, or clean your room and instead find yourself immersed in the website, you’re addicted.

5) If you can’t imagine ever closing your account: If the very thought that you would have to close your account forever leaves you in a cold sweat, you’re addicted.

If you’ve found yourself agreeing to two or more of the above points, then you are most likely in the large pool of young people who are addicted. After all, Facebook can be a nice and relaxing escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

But even good things are only good in moderation. Dr. Young from CNN says “Facebook is like any other addiction, it’s really hard to wean yourself off of it. Most people just need to find the right balance, like with eating disorders.”

The key is to find the balance that works for you. The six steps to maintaining that balance are:

1) Admitting you have a problem is the first step of any addiction.

2) Define your goals: This can be done on a short term basis – deciding before logging on that you will only check your notifications. Or, long term – ask what you really want from Facebook, and if it’s really important to you.

3) Make and follow a schedule: This allows you to bring your addiction under control, for example only logging on every Saturday. Use of a timer may be helpful here.
4) Remind yourself of the other things you should be doing: In other words, a guilty conscience might just be the push you need to log off the site, and start that assignment you’ve been putting off for days.

5) Find a substitute: Most people check Facebook when they find that they have nothing to do, so find a healthy replacement activity. If you notice that you’re always on from 3 to 6 PM, then look into some extra-curricular classes, or join a sports team.

6) If all else fails, close your account: It’s simple, if you don’t have a Facebook account, you won’t feel the need to check if you received a notification.

Like with all addictions, there is no universal therapy. If you are determined to break the habit, you need to set out on your own mission to become a healthier Facebook user. The most important thing to keep in mind is that venturing out in the world and living your life to the fullest always beats reading about how others are living theirs.

Social networking sites are now the medium of choice for many social justice groups and individuals who want to harness the tides of social change. Capitalizing on the networks around us is an effective way to get things done, whether it be recruiting volunteers or raising awareness on an important cause. Yet the relationship between social networking online and social change in the real world deserves to be more closely observed.

The popularity of social networking apparatuses such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and blogs simply reflects a need in modern society. Within our often fractured, disparate society we retain a need for connection and community. But just how well do social networking sites work as vehicles for social change?

In many ways, social networking sites are very well designed tools to help social justice organizations achieve their goals on the Internet. These sites can be a great platform in which to connect people, exchange ideas and share resources. What’s more, they are constantly evolving and adapting to their users. It comes as no surprise that social networking is already very popular among organizations trying to raise money, increase membership or promote their activities.

Yet for all that social networking can do to help bring about social change, it may be less a science and more an art. Although anybody can start a social networking site, it’s only as effective as how he/she uses it. The most successful websites have a distinct identity that distinguishes them from the pack and a clear set of principles behind their operations.

Controlling their brand and message can be a challenge, as websites can’t always control how people may appropriate their content, or if user-generated material runs counter to the site’s policies. Managing its message and image is crucial for any networking site because building a well-defined identity is the key to attracting a wide membership base.

On the security end, social networking sites are often inadequately defended against cyber attacks by individuals and groups with their own agendas. Twitter and Facebook were both disrupted in early August after a hacker targeted the accounts of a Georgian blogger who posted criticism of Russia’s conduct during its conflict with Georgia over South Ossetia in 2008.

Ironically, even though social justice groups can use networking sites to advance human rights causes and international ideals, the Internet is not a domain where many of those principles (such as freedom of expression) can be enforced. Servers can shut down a social networking site if they feel its content damages their ability to attract revenue from advertisers.

Users of social networking sites should also remember that these sites are not neutral platforms, but businesses with vested interests in the transfer of information. Just this July, Facebook was found by Canada’s Privacy Commissioner to have violated privacy laws in collecting users’ information for advertising purposes and disclosing that information to third parties.