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DO VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES CONTRIBUTE TO YOUTH VIOLENCE?PRO?Video Games and Violence Increasing reports of bullying can be partially attributed to the popularity of violent video games. The 2008 study?Grand Theft Childhood?reported that 60% of middle school boys who played at least one Mature-rated game hit or beat up someone, compared to 39% of boys that did not play Mature-rated games.?[2] Video games often reward players for simulating violence, and thus enhance the learning of violent behaviors. Studies suggest that when violence is rewarded in video games, players exhibit increased aggressive behavior compared to players of video games where violence is punished.?[23]?Violent video games desensitize players to real-life violence. It is common for victims in video games to disappear off screen when they are killed or for players to have multiple lives. In a 2005 study, violent video game exposure has been linked to reduced P300 amplitudes in the brain, which is associated with desensitization to violence and increases in aggressive behavior.?[24]?A 2000 FBI report includes playing violent video games in a list of behaviors associated with school shootings.[25]Violent video games teach youth that violence is an acceptable conflict-solving strategy and an appropriate way to achieve one's goals.?[26]?A 2009 study found that youth who play violent video games have lower belief in the use of nonviolent strategies and are less forgiving than players of nonviolent video games.Violent video games cause players to associate pleasure and happiness with the ability to cause pain in others.?[3]Young children are more likely to confuse fantasy violence with real world violence, and without a framework for ethical decision making, they may mimic the actions they see in violent video games.?[4]Violent video games require active participation, repetition, and identification with the violent character. With new game controllers allowing more physical interaction, the immersive and interactive characteristics of video games can increase the likelihood of youth violence.?[5]CON?Video Games and Violence Violent juvenile crime in the United States has been declining as violent video game popularity has increased. The arrest rate for juvenile murders has fallen 71.9% between 1995 and 2008. The arrest rate for all juvenile violent crimes has declined 49.3%. In this same period, video game sales have more than quadrupled.?[7]?[8]A causal link between violent video games and violent behavior has not been proven.?[34]?Many studies suffer from design flaws and use unreliable measures of violence and aggression such as noise blast tests. Thoughts about aggression have been confused with aggressive behavior, and there is a lack of studies that follow children over long periods of time.A 2004 US Secret Service review?of previous school-based attacks found that one-eighth of attackers exhibited an interest in violent video games, less than the rate of interest attackers showed in violent movies, books, and violence in their own writings. The report did not find a relationship between playing violent video games and school shootings.?[35]The small correlations that have been found between video games and violence may be explained by violent youth being drawn to violent video games. Violent games do not cause youth to be violent. Instead, youth that are predisposed to be violent seek out violent entertainment such as video games.Playing violent video games reduces violence in adolescent boys by serving as a substitute for rough and tumble play.?[36]?Playing violent video games allows adolescent boys to express aggression and establish status in the peer group without causing physical harm.?Video game players understand they are playing a game. Their ability to distinguish between fantasy and reality prevents them from emulating video game violence in real life.?[9]Playing violent video games provides a safe outlet for aggressive and angry feelings. A 2007 study?reported that 45% of boys played video games because "it helps me get my anger out" and 62% played because it "helps me relax."?[37]Violent video games provide healthy and safe opportunities for children to virtually explore rules and consequences of violent actions. Violent games also allow youth to experiment with issues such as war, violence and death?without real world consequences.[38]IS A COLLEGE EDUCATION WORTH IT?PRO?College EducationCollege graduates make more money.?On average, a college graduate with a bachelor’s degree earned $30,000 more per year than a high school graduate, or about $500,000 more over a lifetime, as of Apr. 2013.?[8]?Earning an associate's degree (a 2-year degree) was worth about $170,000 more than a high school diploma over a lifetime in 2011.?[9]?The median income for families headed by a bachelor's degree holder was $100,096 in 2011—more than double than that for a family headed by a high school graduate.?[10]?The median increase in earnings for completing the freshman year of college was 11% and the senior year was 16% in 2007.[11]?85% of Forbes' 2012 America's 400 Richest People list were college grads.?[12]More and more jobs require college degrees.?During the recession between Dec. 2007 and Jan. 2010, jobs requiring college degrees grew by 187,000, while jobs requiring some college or an associate's degree fell by 1.75 million and jobs requiring a high school degree or less fell by 5.6 million.?[13]?Based on economy and job projections calculated by Georgetown University, in 2018, approximately 63% of jobs will require some college education or a degree.?[14]?College graduates have more and better employment opportunities.?In Apr. 2013, the unemployment rate for college graduates aged 25 and over with a bachelor's degree was 3.6%, compared to 5.0% for associate's degree holders, 7.5% for high school graduates, and 11.4% for high school drop-outs.[8]?College graduates are more likely to receive on-the-job formal (22.9%) or informal (17.2%) training, more access to technology, greater autonomy, and ability to enhance skills compared to high school graduates.?[14]?58% of college graduates and people with some college or associate's degrees reported being "very satisfied" with their jobs compared to 50% of high school graduates and 40% of people without a high school diploma.?[11]College graduates are more likely to have health insurance and retirement plans.?70% of college graduates had access to employer-provided health insurance compared to 50% of high school graduates in 2008.?[15]?70% of college graduates 25 years old and older had access to retirement plans in 2008 compared to 65% of associate's degree holders, 55% of high school graduates, and 30% of people who did not complete high school.?[11]?Young adults learn interpersonal skills in college.?Students have the opportunity to interact with other students and faculty, to join student organizations and clubs, and to take part in discussions and debates. According to Arthur Chickering's "Seven Vectors" student development theory, "developing mature interpersonal relationships" is one of the seven stages students progress through as they attend college.?[16]Students ranked "interpersonal skills" as the most important skill used in their daily lives in a 1994 survey of 11,000 college students.?[17]?Vivek Wadhwa, MBA, technology entrepreneur and scholar, states, "American children party [in college]. But you know something, by partying, they learn social skills. They learn how to interact with each other…They develop skills which make them innovative. Americans are the most innovative people in the world because of the education system."?[18]College graduates are healthier and live longer.?83% of college graduates reported being in excellent health, while 73% of high school graduates reported the same.?[11]?In 2008, 20% of all adults were smokers, while 9% of college graduates were smokers.[ HYPERLINK "" \l "11" 11]?63% of 25 to 34 year old college graduates reported exercising vigorously at least once a week compared to 37% of high school graduates.?[11]?College degrees were linked to lower blood pressure in a 30-year peer-reviewed study and lower levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) by a Carnegie Mellon Psychology department study.?[15]In 2008, 23% of college graduates aged 35 to 44 years old were obese compared to 37% of high school graduates.?[11] College graduates, on average, live six years longer than high school graduates.?[19,?20]College graduates have lower poverty rates.?The 2008 poverty rate for bachelor's degree holders was 4%, compared to a 12% poverty rate for high school graduates.?[11]?In 2005, married couples with bachelor's degrees were least likely to be below the poverty line (1.8%) compared to 2.7% of associate's degree holders, 4.6% of couples with some college, and 7.1% of high school graduates.?[21]?According to the US Census Bureau, 1% of college graduates participated in social support programs like Medicaid, National School Lunch Program, and food stamps compared to 8% of high school graduates in 2008.?[11]The children of college graduates are healthier and more prepared for school.?ALancet?medical journal study from 1970 to 2009 showed college graduates had lower infant mortality rates than high school graduates.?[15] Mothers with only a high school education are 31% more likely to give birth to a low-birth-weight baby than a woman with a college degree.?[11]?Children aged 2 to 5 years old in households headed by college graduates have a 6% obesity rate compared to 14% for children in households headed by high school graduates.?[11]?18% more children aged 3 to 5 years old with mothers who have a bachelor's degree could recognize all letters compared to children of high school graduates.?[11] In 2010, 59% of children in elementary and middle school with at least one college graduate for a parent participated in after-school activities like sports, arts, and scouting compared 27% for high school graduate parents.?[21]CON?College EducationStudent loan debt is crippling for college graduates.?Between 2003 and 2012 the number of 25-year-olds with student debt?increased from 25% to 43%, and their average loan balance was $20,326 in 2012--a 91% increase since 2003.?[35]?10% of students graduate with over $40,000 in debt and about 1% have $100,000 in debt.?[36] The average student borrower graduated in 2011 with $26,600 in debt.?[36]?According to the US Congress Joint Economic Committee, approximately 60% of 2011 college graduates have student loan debt balances equal to 60% of their annual income.?[37]Missing or being late for loan payments often results in a lower credit score and additional fees, thus escalating the debt problem and potentially jeopardizing future purchases and employment.?[36]Student loan debt often forces college graduates to live with their parents and delay marriage, financial independence, and other adult milestones.?According to a 2012 Federal Reserve Study, 30-year-olds who have never taken out a student loan are now more likely to own homes than those who have taken out loans. Auto loans are also trending down at faster rates for those with student debt history than for those without.?[35]?In 2013, student loan borrowers delayed retirement saving (41%), car purchases (40%), home purchases (29%), and marriage (15%).?[38]?Less than 50% of women and 30% of men had passed the "transition to adulthood" milestones by age 30 (finishing school, moving out of their parents' homes, being financially independent, marrying, and having children); in 1960, 77% of women and 65% of men had completed these milestones by age 30.?[39]?Many college graduates are employed in jobs that do not require college degrees.According to the Department of Labor, as of 2008, 17 million college graduates were in positions that did not require a college education.?[6]?1 in 3 college graduates had a job that required a high school diploma or less in 2012.?[5]?More than 16,000 parking lot attendants, 83,000 bartenders, 115,000 janitors and 15% of taxi drivers have bachelor's degrees.?[6]?College graduates with jobs that do not require college degrees earn 30-40% less per week than those who work in jobs requiring college degrees.?[40]Many recent college graduates are un- or underemployed.?In 2011 50% of college graduates under 25 years old had no job or a part-time job.?[4] The unemployment rate for recent college graduates was 8.8% in Feb. 2013, down from 10.4% in 2010, but up from 5.7% in 2007.?[41]?The underemployment (insufficient work) rate for the class of 2013 was 18.3%[ HYPERLINK "" \l "41" 41]?According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 44% of recent college graduates were underemployed in 2012.?[42]Many people succeed without college degrees.?According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, of the 30 projected fastest growing jobs between 2010 and 2020, five do not require a high school diploma, nine require a high school diploma, four require an associate's degree, six require a bachelor's degree, and six require graduate degrees.?[43]?The following successful people either never enrolled in college or never completed their college degrees: Richard Branson, founder and chairman of the Virgin Group; Charles Culpepper, owner and CEO of Coca Cola; Ellen Degeneres, comedian and actress; Michael Dell, founder of Dell, Inc.; Walt Disney, Disney Corporation founder; Bill Gates, Microsoft founder; Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple; Wolfgang Puck, chef and restauranteur; Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple; Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook.?[44]?Many students do not graduate and waste their own and their government's money.Over 25% of students who enroll in college do not return for the second year.?[45]?About 44% of students at four-year colleges dropped out according to a Feb. 2011 study.?[46] The federal government allocated $176.83 billion for college loans, grants, tax benefits, and work studies in 2013.?[48]?State governments spent $81.2 billion supporting public colleges in 2012.?[49]?Students who started bachelor's degrees in the fall of 2002 but did not graduate within six years accounted for $3.8 billion in lost income, $566 million in lost federal income taxes, and $164 million in lost state income taxes in one year.[50]?The government gets fewer tax dollars from non-college graduates than from college graduates who have higher wages.?[50]?Students who drop out during the first year of college cost states $1.3 billion and the federal government $300 million per year in wasted student grant programs and government appropriations for colleges.?[50]Student debt overwhelms many seniors.Whether they co-signed for a child or grandchild's education, or took out loans for their own educations, in 2012 there were 6.9 million student loan borrowers aged 50 and over who collectively owed $155 billion with individual average balances between $19,521 and $23,820.?[51]?Of the 6.9 million borrowers, 24.7% were more than 90 days delinquent in payments.?[51]?Almost 119,000 of older borrowers in default were having a portion of their Social Security payments garnished by the US government in 2012.?[52]?Learning a trade profession is a better option than college for many young adults.Trade professions are necessary for society to function, require less than four years of training, and often pay above average wages. The high number of young adults choosing college over learning a trade has created a 'skills gap' in the US and there is now a shortage of 'middle-skill" trade workers like machinists, electricians, plumbers, and construction workers. One 2011 survey of US manufacturers found that 67% reported a "moderate to severe shortage of talent,"?[53]?"Middle-skill" jobs represent half of all jobs in the US that pay middle-class wages.?[54] According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "middle-skill" jobs will make up 45% of projected job openings through 2014, but as of 2012 only 25% of the workforce had the skills to fill those jobs.?[55]?IS OBESITY A DISEASE?PRO ReasonsObesity meets the definition of disease.?The American Medical Association's 2013 "Council on Science and Public Health Report" identified three criteria to define disease: 1. "an impairment of the normal functioning of some aspect of the body;" 2. "characteristic signs and symptoms;" and 3. "harm or morbidity."?[19]?Obesity causes impairment, has characteristic signs and symptoms, and increases harm and morbidity. Scott Kahan, MD, MPH, Director of the National Center for Weight and Wellsness and Preventative Medicine Physician at Johns Hopkins University, stated obesity "satisfies all the definitions and criteria of what a disease and medical condition is... The one difference is that people who have obesity have to wear their disease on the outside."?[26]?Obesity, like other diseases, impairs the normal functioning of the body.?People who are obese have excess adipose (or fat) tissue that causes the overproduction of leptin (a molecule that regulates food intake and energy expenditure) and other food intake and energy mediators in the body, which leads to abnormal regulation of food intake and energy expenditure.?[35]?Obesity can impair normal mobility and range of motion in knees and hips, and obese patients make up 33% of all joint replacement operations.?[48]Obesity is also linked to reproductive impairment, contributing to sexual dysfunction in both sexes, infertility and risk of miscarriage in women, and lower sperm counts in men.?[48]Obesity decreases a person's life expectancy and can cause death, like other diseases.?Obesity in adults can lead to three years' loss of life. Extreme obesity can shorten a person's life span by 10 years.?[4]?The Surgeon General reports an estimated 300,000 deaths per year may be attributed to obesity.?[36]?People who are obese have a 50-100% increased risk of death from all causes.?[36]Obesity can be a genetic disorder such as sickle-cell anemia and Tay-Sachs, which are classified as diseases.?Studies have shown that obesity can be inherited like height.?[5] [6]?Genetic disposition plays a large role in determining if a person will be obese.?[5]?[6]?A May 2014 study published in theJournal of Molecular Psychology?linked higher rates of obesity to the "fat mass and obesity association" (FTO) gene.?[56]?The FTO gene reportedly lowers activity in the part of the brain that "controls impulses and the response to the taste and texture of food," so people with the gene are more likely to eat more fatty foods and eat more impulsively as they age.?[56]?A 1990 study published in the?New England Journal of Medicine?on body mass in twins not raised in the same home concluded, "genetic influences on body-mass index are substantial, whereas the childhood environment has little or no influence."?[38]?In addition to genetic predisposition, almost 10% of morbidly obese people have defects in the genes that regulate food intake, metabolism, and weight.?[37]?Government entities and major medical groups recognize obesity as a disease.?The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, and the Obesity Society, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) have identified obesity as a disease.?[50] [46] [47]?Even the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recognizes obesity as a disease so weight loss expenses may be counted as a medical deduction from taxes.?[49]?On June 18, 2013, the American Medical Association recognized obesity as "a disease requiring a range of medical interventions to advance obesity treatment and prevention."?[39]Physicians from as early as the 17th century have referenced obesity as a disease.?English physician Thomas Sydenham (1624-1689) wrote, "Corpulency [obesity] may be ranked amongst the diseases arising from original imperfections in the functions of some of the organs."?[9]?William Wadd, a 19th century British surgeon and medical author, wrote, "when in excess--amounting to what may be termed OBESITY--[fat] is not only in itself a disease, but may be the cause of many fatal effects, particularly in acute disorders."?[9]?In the Feb. 12, 1825 issue of?The Medical Advisor and Guide to Health and Long Life, Robert Thomas, a 19th century doctor, wrote "Corpulence, when it arrives at a certain height, becomes an absolute disease."?[34]CON ReasonsObesity is a preventable risk factor for other diseases and conditions, and is not a disease itself.?Like smoking is a preventable risk factor for lung cancer and drinking is a preventable risk factor for alcoholism, obesity is a preventable risk factor for coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cancers (like endometrial, breast, and colon), high cholesterol, high levels of triglycerides, liver and gallbladder disease, incontinence, increased surgical risk, sleep apnea, respiratory problems (like asthma), osteoarthritis, infertility and other reproductive complications, complications during pregnancy and birth defects, and mental health conditions.?[42]?[36]?Women who gain 20 pounds or more between age 20 and midlife double their risk of postmenopausal breast cancer.?[36]For every 2 pound weight increase, the risk of developing arthritis rises 9-13%.?[36]Obesity is a side effect, not a disease.Obesity can be caused by hypothyroidism, Cushing's syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome, arthritis, increased insulin levels (from carbohydrate-heavy diets or diabetes treatments) and depression.?[17]?[55]?Certain drugs like antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, diabetes medications, anti-psychotic medications, antihistamines, anticonvulsants, steroids, beta blockers, and contraceptives can cause obesity.?[17] [16]?Obesity can also be caused by lack of sleep (or sleep debt), ingesting endocrine disrupters (such as BPA, DDT, and phthalates), consuming high-fructose corn syrup, a lack of temperature variation (due to air conditioners and heaters), and quitting smoking.[16] [15]Many obese people live long, healthy lives.A 2013?Lancet?article noted that as many as one third of obese people are "healthy obese," meaning that despite being significantly overweight they have normal cholesterol and blood pressure levels, and no sign of diabetes.?[41]?Obese people tend to go to the doctor more and have regular checks for other risk factors and diseases.?[40]?Many people with a BMI (Body Mass Index; a measure of body fat based on height and weight) in the obesity range are not physically impaired and live normal lives. BMI does not take into account the overall health of the individual and can identify fit, muscular people as obese because muscle weighs more than fat.?[40] [41]?Obesity is the result of eating too much.?The suggested daily caloric intake for 31-50-year-olds is 1,800 calories for women and 2,200 calories for men.?[7]In 2009-2010, 30-39-year-old women consumed an average 1,831 calories (which is 1.7% over the recommendation) while men of the same age consumed an average 2,736 calories per day (which is 22% over the recommendation).?[3]?The average American restaurant meal portion size is four times as large as portions in the 1950s and 96% of entrees at chain restaurants exceed dietary guidelines for fat, sodium, and saturated fat, with some almost exceeding daily intakes in one meal.?[44] [45]?The body is doing what it has evolved to do by converting excess calories into fat cells. The CDC recommends reducing consumption of sugar drinks (like sodas) and high-energy-dense foods to prevent and reduce obesity.?[42]?The Mayo Clinic states, "Having a diet that's high in calories, eating fast food, skipping breakfast, eating most of your calories at night, drinking high-calorie beverages and eating oversized portions all contribute to weight gain."?[43]Obesity is the result of sedentary pared to 40 years ago, people today spend more time commuting, sitting in front of a computer, watching television, playing video games, and generally exercising less.?[10]?In 1960 50% of jobs required moderate physical activity compared to just 20% of jobs in 2011; the other 80% in 2011 required little or no physical activity.?[18]This shift represents 120-140 fewer calories burned per day, which closely aligns with the nation's overall weight gain trends.?[18]?Men expended 142 fewer calories daily and weighed 32.8 pounds more in 2003-2006 than in 1960-1962, while women expended 124 fewer calories daily and weighed 25.13 pounds more in 2003-2006 than in 1960-1962.?[18]ARE SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES GOOD FOR OUR SOCIETY?PRO?Social Networking SitesSocial networking sites spread information faster than any other media.?Over 50% of people learn about breaking news on social media.?[1]?65% of traditional media reporters and editors use sites like Facebook and LinkedIn for story research, and 52% use Twitter.?[2]?Social networking sites are the top news source for 27.8% of Americans, ranking close to newspapers (28.8%) and above radio (18.8%) and other print publications (6%).?[1]?Twitter and YouTube users reported the July 20, 2012 Aurora, CO theater shooting before news crews could arrive on the scene?[3], and the Red Cross urged witnesses to tell family members they were safe via social media outlets.?[4]Law enforcement uses social networking sites to catch and prosecute criminals.?67% of federal, state, and local law enforcement professionals surveyed think "social media helps solve crimes more quickly."?[5]?In 2011 the NYPD added a Twitter tracking unit and has used social networking to arrest criminals who have bragged of their crimes online.?[6]?When the Vancouver Canucks lost the 2011 Stanley Cup in Vancouver, the city erupted into riots. Social media was used to catch vandals and rioters as social networking site users tagged the people they knew in over 2,000 photos posted to the sites.?[7] [8]Social networking sites help students do better at school.?59% of students with access to the Internet report that they use social networking sites to discuss educational topics and 50% use the sites to talk about school assignments.?[9]?After George Middle School in Portland, OR introduced a social media program to engage students, grades went up by 50%, chronic absenteeism went down by 33%, and 20% of students school-wide voluntarily completed extra-credit assignments.?[10] [11]Social networking sites allow people to improve their relationships and make new friends.?70% of adult social networking users visit the sites to connect with friends and family?[12], and increased online communication strengthens relationships.?[13]?52% of teens using social media report that using the sites has helped their relationships with friends, 88% report that social media helps them stay in touch with friends they cannot see regularly, 69% report getting to know students at their school better, and 57% make new friends.?[14]Social media helps empower business women.?Being able to connect on social networking sites gives business women a support group not readily found offline where female CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are outnumbered by male CEOs 15 to 485.[ HYPERLINK "" \l "15" 15]?Many social media sites are dominated by women: 72% of Pinterest users are women, 58% of Facebook users, 62% of MySpace users, 60% of Yelp users, and 53% of Instagram users.?[16]?Business women useTwitter chats to support each other, give and receive peer knowledge, and have guest "speakers" share expert knowledge.?[17]? helps African women entrepreneurs connect on social media to grow their businesses.?[18]Social media sites help employers find employees and job-seekers find work.?64% of companies are on two or more social networks for recruiting?[19]?because of the wider pool of applicants and more efficient searching capabilities. 89% of job recruiters have hired employees through LinkedIn, 26% through Facebook, and 15% through Twitter.?[20]?One in six job-seekers credit social media for helping find their current job. 52% of job-seekers use Facebook for the job search, 38% use LinkedIn, and 34% use Twitter.?[21]Being a part of a social networking site can increase a person's quality of life and reduce the risk of health problems.?Social media can help improve life satisfaction, stroke recovery, memory retention, and overall well-being by providing users with a large social group. Additionally, friends on social media can have a "contagion" effect, promoting and helping with exercise, dieting, and smoking cessation goals.?[22]CON?Social Networking Sites?Social media enables the spread of unreliable and false information.?49.1% of people have heard false news via social media.?[1]?On Sep. 5, 2012 false rumors of fires, shootouts, and caravans of gunmen in a Mexico City suburb spread via Twitter and Facebook caused panic, flooded the local police department with over 3,000 phone calls, and temporarily closed schools.?[79]?Shashank Tripathi, tweeting as @ComfortablySmug, spread false information in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy by tweeting that the New York Stock Exchange was flooding and that the power company would cut off electricity to all of Manhattan; the bogus information was picked up by national news outlets including CNN and the Weather Channel.?[80]Social networking sites lack privacy and expose users to government and corporate intrusions.?13 million users said they had not set or did not know about Facebook's privacy settings and 28% shared all or nearly all of their posts publicly.?[81]The US Justice Department intercepted 1,661 pieces of information from social networking sites and e-mails in 2011.?[82]?The 2009 IRS training manual teaches agents to scan Facebook pages for information that might "assist in resolving a taxpayer case." 4.7 million Facebook users have "liked" a health condition or medical treatment page, information that is sometimes used by insurance companies to raise rates.?[81] [83]Students who are heavy social media users tend to have lower grades.?Students who use social media had an average GPA of 3.06 while non-users had an average GPA of 3.82 and students who used social networking sites while studying scored 20% lower on tests.?[84]?College students’ grades dropped 0.12 points for every 93 minutes above the average 106 minutes spent on Facebook per day.?[85]?Two-thirds of teachers believe that social media does more to distract students than to help academically.?[86]Social networking sites can lead to stress and offline relationship problems.?A University of Edinburgh Business School study found the more Facebook friends a person has, the more stressful the person finds Facebook to use.?[87]According to a Feb. 9, 2012 Pew Internet report, 15% of adult social network users had an experience on a social networking site that caused a friendship to end, 12% of adult users had an experience online that resulted in a face-to-face argument, and 3% of adults reported a physical confrontation as the result of an experience on a social networking site.?[88]Social networking sites entice people to waste time.?40% of 8 to 18 year olds spend 54 minutes a day on social media sites.?[89]?36% of people surveyed listed social networking as the "biggest waste of time," above fantasy sports (25%), watching TV (23%), and shopping (9%).?[90] When alerted to a new social networking site activity, like a new tweet or Facebook message, users take 20 to 25 minutes on average to return to the original task. In 30% of cases, it took two hours to fully return attention to the original task.?[91]?42% of American Internet users play games like Farmville or Mafia Wars on social networking sites.[92]Using social media can harm job stability and employment prospects.?Job recruiters reported negative reactions to finding profanity (61%), poor spelling or grammar (54%), illegal drugs (78%), sexual content (66%), pictures of or with alcohol (47%), and religious content (26%) on potential employees’ social media pages.?[21]?Anthony Weiner, former US Representative, was forced to resign after a Twitter sexting scandal in 2011.?[93]?Several athletes were banned from the 2012 Olympics because of their racist social media posts.?[94]The use of social networking sites is correlated with personality and brain disorders, such as the inability to have in-person conversations, a need for instant gratification, ADHD, and self-centered personalities, as well as addictive behaviors.?[81]?Pathological Internet Use (caused or exacerbated by social networking use) is associated with feelings of loneliness, depression, anxiety and general distress.?[95]?The 2013?Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders?(DSM) is evaluating "Internet Addiction Disorder" for inclusion. A 2008 UCLA study revealed web users had fundamentally altered prefrontal cortexes?[96]?due, in part, to the fast pace of social networking sites rewiring the brain with repeated exposure.?[97]Social media causes people to spend less time interacting face-to-face.?A Jan. 2012 Center for the Digital Future at the USC Annenberg School study found that the percentage of people reporting less face-to-face time with family in their homes rose from 8% in 2000 to 34% in 2011.?[98]?32% reported using social media or texting during meals (47% of 18-34 year olds)?[99]?instead of talking with family and friends. 10% of people younger than 25 years old respond to social media and text messages during sex.[100] [173] ................
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