The use of computers and the Internet among adolescents, from 2000 until today, has increased steadily . If parents were to be more careful with their children and did not allow them to spend too much time online, then teenagers would be accustomed to order and accountability. 

But internet removal has its advantages and disadvantages.  For example, if teens were banned from surfing the Internet, they might return to television, keeping their eyes peeled for hours on end. Many young people spend an average of 4-5 hours a day in front of a monitor screen, according to the Pew Research Center.

U.S. teenagers widely use Facebook, and also Twitter, blogger, and net log.  But is the use of these networks a problem?   Should parents worry about their children?  Below are some facts about the effects that social networks have on your health.  Take a look before you “like ” or “friend request”.

Positive Effects 

1. Boosts self-esteem / Identifying the positive about yourself. According to a study from Cornell University, students who used Facebook and updated their status felt better and had a better mood compared to those who did not use it at all. Updating statuses or posts promotes confidence, and self-esteem.
   
2. Strengthens social relations. In Britain, Facebook users were surveyed, aged 21-29.  Facebook helped strengthen relationships between friends. Private messages and “wall posts” allow users to trust their friends, go back to old memories and laugh out loud.

Negative effects 

1.Depression and Anxiety. According to Anxiety.org, smartphone use was “associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as increased stress. The more participants used their smartphones, the more likely they were to experience symptoms associated with these disorders and report being stressed.

2.Eating disorders.  The more teenagers stay on Facebook or other social networks, the more they are prone to eating disorders, ranging from anorexia to bulimia. A deluge of information and news about music, fashion, and gossip can push teenagers towards eating disorders.  But Facebook is not necessarily to blame for this.  Perhaps people who already have these disorders are naturally inclined to spend more time online, due to the attraction of the online world.  

We hope that in the future technology will not control the lives of teenagers, but teenagers control technology and social networks.

“I fear the day when technology will surpass everything, even the interaction between people. When that day comes, we will have a generation of idiots,” the great  Albert Einstein said.