Chained to the Facebook wall

However, some people are finding themselves struggling to kick a different habit - Facebook.

The social networking Web site Facebook has sparked concern as many students find themselves becoming so engulfed in the site that each poke, picture and party invitation brings them one step closer to exhibiting unhealthy behavior.

In April 2007, there were only 20 million active users on Facebook. According to statistics found on the Facebook website, the number of active memberships has increased by 44 million members in less than one year.

It is now the sixth-most trafficked site in the United States. Nearly 16,000 of those members are in The University of Memphis network.

For some people, the thought of having a Facebook addiction might seem laughable. According to statistics on the Facebook Web site, the average person spends at least 20 minutes on Facebook each day, but there are some members who spend more time on the site than what some people would consider normal.

Mary Kate Allen, senior organizational leadership major, said she is addicted to Facebook.

"I check Facebook faithfully, probably 20 times a day," Allen said. "It is ridiculous. The amount of time I am on each time varies. Sometimes, I am on it for hours at a time."

According to Allen, she is not alone when it comes to spending a lot of time on the site.

"I think that way too many people spend time on Facebook," she said.

There are several experts who have said some Facebook users might be going too far, including Sajjan G. Shiva, professor and chairman of the computer science department.

"Our young generation is getting carried away with it," Shiva said. "Using Facebook should not get in the way of our normal activities - it should only enhance them."

Lloyd Brooks, professor of management information systems, said many students do not realize Facebook addiction is as serious as it really is.

"I think most people don't realize it until they get into it," Brooks said. "A lot of times, students can stay up late, and it will affect them at school or at work the next day. Just like gambling, when you first start, you are not addicted. I think it would depend on the personality of the person to determine whether or not they can handle it without becoming addicted."

One reason some students might not take Facebook addiction seriously could be that addiction is usually associated with alcohol or drugs - not interacting with peers online.

Max Garzon, professor of computer science, said Facebook addiction is somewhat like other addictions. He also said there are some differences as well.

"It's like the strong addictions in that they take over and pull the individual onto a divergent track from their goals and responsibilities. It's unlike them in that it is much easier to quit - it has no harmful direct physical consequences and it is normally phased out in most cases," he said.

Allen said that, sometimes, it is a way for her to relax.

"I relate it to a person smoking a cigarette - if they want to mellow out their mood, they smoke," she said. "When I don't want to think about anything important and want to chill, I get on Facebook. Facebook for me is an addiction, but I would rather be addicted to be Facebook than something that could be harmful to my health directly."

Although she said she is addicted, she spends a lot of her time on Facebook communicating with people she actually knows.

" I stay in contact with people that I would otherwise probably not get to talk to that much," Mary Kate Allen said. "For instance, my cousin has a Facebook, and I can't talk to him really because he is attending school in England."

The line between normal usage and addictive behavior seems to be a thin one. Still, there are many people questioning if Facebook fixation is a legitimate physical addiction.

Kris M. Markman, assistant professor of broadcast and electronic media, does not agree with the whole Facebook addiction concept.

"I really don't think it's a good idea to use the word 'addiction' when talking about Facebook use," Markman said. "The whole idea of Internet addiction is still a very new and not well-understood concept. It's more likely that people who seem to be using the Internet excessively may really have some underlying problem."

Other experts said there are several reasons why some students are prone to develop unhealthy Facebook behaviors. One reason could be that some students have issues with "the man in the mirror."

Lee E. Allen, assistant professor for instructional design and technology/ information science, agrees. He described the type of person prone to addiction as, "those persons who lack a distinct identity as a social presence or entity. In other words, those who might feel somewhat inadequate when having to interact in real social, face-to-face situations. Not necessarily work or school - but as strictly social interactions."

People who are not into face-to-face interaction might see Facebook as a tool to become cool among their peers. When it comes to getting involved on campus, students have 169 registered student organizations to choose from. These groups cater to students interested in anything from socializing to psychology.

These opportunities are available, yet many students are taking a different approach when it comes to being active on campus - they are getting their campus experience via cyber space.

There are more than 500 groups currently listed in Facebook's U of M network. Out of those groups, there are 1,249 people in the "Go Tigers Go" group.

If all of the members of the group who are currently enrolled became active in registered student organizations, campus life could change significantly.

According to Lee Allen, students who spend an enormous amount of time on Facebook could be cheating themselves out of something more beneficial - human interaction.

"While it is perfectly alright to maintain an online presence and have virtual friends, it is always healthier to balance this out with friends based in the real, every day world - no matter how mundane it may seem," Lee Allen said. "Many people seem to want to exist as some form of alter ego in a parallel virtual world of fantasy rather than face the perhaps uglier reality that exists in the real world."

He also said these behaviors can be used as a form of escapism, which can be unhealthy when it is carried to the extreme. Sometimes, the people who get online to develop these alter egos can not only end up harming themselves, but others as well.

"The Virginia Tech shooter, for example, had an online alter ego to make up for his self-perceived inadequacies. Unfortunately, the lines blurred and his need to empower himself in the real world led to the tragedies that ensued," Lee Allen said.

While some see Facebook as a potentially unhealthy form of interaction, others disagree.

"Whether it's using Facebook or MySpace, instant messaging or text messages, the Internet is woven into our daily lives and provides just another means of communicating with people in our social circles," Markman said. "Joining groups in Facebook is probably more about identity markers than actual activities, i.e., the groups you join say something about how you want people looking at your profile to perceive you."

Face-to-face interaction, or lack there of, is a heavily debated issue. However, students spending too much time on the social networking site have several other issues to worry about - one being "Big Brother" is always watching.

Many students spend their time on Facebook not thinking about how their obsession could affect their school life, work or all-around safety. Although there are privacy control options, students need to be aware that anything they do online is not exactly private.

Some universities have expelled students, revoked scholarships and busted students for underage drinking - all based on what faculty members found on students Facebook profiles.

In 2005, Cameron Walker, a student at Fisher College in Boston, voiced his opinion about a campus police guard. According to an article in Newsweek, he wrote in a post that the guard "loved to antagonize students ... and needs to be eliminated." Newsweek said another student read the post and then reported Walker to Fisher College authorities who later expelled Walker from the college.

John Brown University expelled a student whose Facebook profile indicated he was engaging in homosexual behavior incompatible with the school's code of conduct.

At Louisiana State, two swimmers were kicked off the team for criticizing their coaches on Facebook.

Some students have said U of M faculty members have been patrolling student accounts as well, looking for dirt.

When it comes to work, employers are getting in on the Facebook trend. Some employers are opening their own accounts so that they can spy on employees and get a closer look at applicants. Students never know when a drunken picture or profanity-filled wall post could come back to haunt them. Potentially risky behavior could cost students their careers.

Facebook owners said the site is "trusted," meaning information is safe and protected. However, the whole Big Brother issue still has students possibly jeopardizing their own safety.

Mary Kate Allen agreed.

"Facebook is simply used for a way to get in people's business without asking them," she said. "I know it is used for other purposes, but seriously, people use that to pry."

Brooks said there is a lot of potential for predators to be on Facebook as well.

For many, being able to check Facebook several times throughout the day is a must. Several students check their Facebook page from cell phones, computer labs and even on their laptops during class.

The obsession with constantly checking the site has sometimes caused friction between professors and students. Some professors have banned the usage of laptops during class, and others have applied a "No Facebook allowed" rule for students.

Shiva is one of those professors.

"Unfortunately, it is very easy to get distracted," Shiva said. "I have made students turn off their laptops and cell phones in my classes."

In 2005, students at the University of New Mexico experienced a rude awakening when the university blocked access to Facebook from the UNM campus computers and networks.

School officials said the site was a violation of UNM's acceptable computer use policy. After Facebook worked out the issues with the university, UNM unblocked access the following semester.

More employers are jumping on the banning bandwagon because Facebook addiction is distracting many people from devoting their attention to their jobs.

Loren Morgan, sophomore early education major, said she is guilty of checking while on the job.

"Well, I have Facebook mobile because I sometimes get really bored at work, and I message people," Morgan said. "So, I do it at work. I think it's ok, as long as you don't piss off your manager while doing it."

Lee Allen said he agrees with employers taking action against distracted workers.

"If online surfing or other distractions prevent an employee from completing assigned work or productivity is otherwise compromised, employers have every right to terminate such employees," Lee Allen said. "It would be the same if the employee ran off every hour to spend time getting coffee, visiting with colleagues, etc."

Students might want to take the issue seriously. It might seem like harmless fun, but what starts off as fun could end with a funeral, according to Garzon.

"It may cost your life eventually," Garzon said. "There are documented cases in China, for example, where students have been so immersed online that they have died of dehydration

Brooks said students should be concerned if they spend a lot of time on the site and if they are constantly checking the site throughout the day.

"Clearly someone who gets out of bed at night to check Facebook could have a problem. People having a problem getting their work done or people who depend on the site for their circle of friends could be in trouble," he said.

He recommended checking Facebook no more than twice a day and spending no more than 30 minutes a day on the site.

Another professor offered advice for those who might be at risk.

"If you feel like the amount of time you spend using Facebook or any other Internet application is disrupting your life in major and regularly recurring ways, then you should seek some help from the appropriate counseling office on campus," Markman said. "If you think Facebook is becoming a distraction, but is not really disrupting your life, then just try deactivating your profile for a week and then see how you feel."

Lee Allen recommended students get out regularly and experience life outside of cyberspace. He said students need to search for other hobbies or ways to relax and enjoy life.

"Take a walk or bike in a beautiful, peaceful park without earbuds, cell phones or other distractions," he said. "Breathe fresh air, and let your mind stop talking and do the listening. There is a huge planet out there, don't create your own tunnel to live in. The Internet is only one way of connecting with the planet - check out the other million or so."