The latest “contagious epidemic” to have hit the world is, surprisingly, our faceless friend – The Facebook. The reason for being intrigued by this new creation is the way it is gaining in popularity, leading to a new genre of addiction called FAD (Facebook Addiction Disorder). I, personally, was never a part of online social networking. But my latest venture into Facebook has left me with a different response. So, I felt the need to research on this new phenomenon.
According to the statistics, facebook has more than 400 million active users, and more than 70% of the users are outside the United States. Around 500 billions minutes per month are spent, and about 4 million statuses are updated each day, both worldwide. Around 2 billion photos are uploaded, and 3 million events are created each month. It is a platform for a million of developers and entrepreneurs from 180 countries. All this, and facebook is just a 5-year-old baby.
Recently, a public group for Stanford’s new course on creating applications for facebook has been created. This course has been introduced by B J Fogg, a pioneering persuasion psychologist, who founded the persuasive technology lab at Stanford. Apart from these achievements and developments, facebook has managed to make it to the list of addictions in the world. It has evolved as a new form of addiction, for psychologists to study, commonly known as FAD as mentioned earlier. This disorder can be tested on the website of facebook itself.
The question that is being raised is the reason behind this friendly addiction. According to my research and self-assessment of my own experience of being a facebook user, the reasons are quite deep and widespread involving different aspects of human emotions. It is not a mere liking but something more substantial and gratifying to the human mind.
Facebook is helping millions to satisfy their emotional needs even if it’s short lived and used as an escape, in this complex framework. Facebook is a stimulus for minds, so dull with cravings for attention. Users get the opportunity to express themselves– their creativity and opinions to their best– as they can get time to think, as not everyone is blessed with the gift of spontaneity. Self-pampering is evidently seen all over the site. Everybody wants to be heard but hardly want to listen – the human tendency, so response doesn’t always matter. One is satisfied coming out with his thoughts. The next thing is the super combo of increasing boredom and dissatisfaction with increasing access to technology – Internet. This combo doesn’t leave any stone unturned and tempts to plunge into this ocean of faces – all shapes, sizes, and colours.
Coming to the most detestable cause of this epidemic is the ‘everyone’s on facebook, then why shoudn’t I?’ factor. This urge of belongingness and fear of disconnection makes him a ‘crowd follower’. There is a constant pressure to be updated, look good and have a million of friends to showcase. A growing urge in people to have a profile which they otherwise can’t achieve in person is felt, undoubtedly.
All the above luxuries come with a price – price of getting lost in what one actually is and what one wants to be. Being honest and answerable to oneself has become difficult. The focus is on the opinion of others, and one will even fake it and be unrealistic to achieve the desired response. There is an increase in laziness, in personal face-to-face interaction. Distraction in ‘real’ work and family is felt. People are missing out on real experiences due to excessive online indulgence. Unhealthy competition is spreading in its old disguised suit. Breach of security and privacy can be easily made. Facebook comes down to be a medium to just stay in touch rather than to connect hearts for real.
It is difficult for me to conclude on this new friend we’ve found, but I guess people just want to have fun and they deserve it too. After all a taste of flaunt and fame is always welcomed.
