To me internet has become an essential part of my work life. As many of the documents are cloud shared, it has allowed me to walk free without carrying too many files and books for reference to work with. Further social networking with friends and families are facilitated through it. For people like me it is a tool of existence.

To me internet has become an essential part of my work life. As many of the documents are cloud shared, it has allowed me to walk free without carrying too many files and books for reference to work with. Further social networking with friends and families are facilitated through it. For people like me it is a tool of existence.

Indeed we are inseparable from the internet as it is for reasons of necessity and efficiency until another more effective technology is created where some of the things we do, such as tying with fingers is unnecessary. 

If the internet is an expression of our brain; moreover, if the web, as it has been said several times, is the brain of the world, isn't that a good dependency? By and large it has facilitated our lives, and is changing the very way in which democracy is understood and practised. In my view, the world is becoming a better place thanks to the web.

More than addiction, internet has become a primary need for me, like food, water and clothes. It is the source for me communicate and interact with my friends and close people. Internet has become the one of the sources to gather reliable information in all fields I require. It is also one of the major tool I depend to carry out my research and other academic activities. Without internet, it difficult for me to manage even my day today activities.

With advances, whether they are social, technological, cultural or otherwise, something is always lost. Hopefully we gain more than we lose.

Dear All,

All of what you have said is true, but I fear there is great danger to the socialization (and humanity) of youth (their long-term psychological well-being and mental health) from the heavy addiction to Internet use. Nowadays, children (in middle-class American society, by-and-large) are reared with no appreciation for the concept of moderation (nor hardly any appreciation of discipline). I do not see this as a harbinger for good outcomes for American society. The American study-habits (in the lamentable condition that they admittedly were PRIOR to the Internet sensation and social-media blowout bubble) and work-ethic has been, I believe, terminally wounded by: (1) the American fixation on celebrity-worship; (2) exacerbated / facilitated / accelerated by social-media.

So, like you, I find the Internet tools indispensable ... Google ... especially Google Scholar ... and, Books ... oh! how I DO love that Google Books (since I spend a significant part of each day doing historical research, these are some of the most fantastic tools available ... ahhhhh ... the digitized collections of the national museums and the art collections of so many countries are now online, too) .... B-U-T ... I shudder when I see what is being done to the children all around me by the vapid, worthless, TRIPE that comprises 99.44+% of what is available to them on the Internet ... so much of it floods in upon them, that they never have a chance, it seems, to wade through the cascades of worthless filth to find the useful treasure-chests of information, and cultural gems, that are sparkling everywhere, just waiting in a million, no! a BILLION Alladin's caves! 

What is needed, in my opinion, is realization by more parents (and certainly more guidance and controls) of the dangers of the Internet to the psychological growth and well-being of their children.  

Best regards,

Bob Skiles (voluntary Internet addict)

Dear All,

All of what you have said is true, but I fear there is great danger to the socialization (and humanity) of youth (their long-term psychological well-being and mental health) from the heavy addiction to Internet use. Nowadays, children (in middle-class American society, by-and-large) are reared with no appreciation for the concept of moderation (nor hardly any appreciation of discipline). I do not see this as a harbinger for good outcomes for American society. The American study-habits (in the lamentable condition that they admittedly were PRIOR to the Internet sensation and social-media blowout bubble) and work-ethic has been, I believe, terminally wounded by: (1) the American fixation on celebrity-worship; (2) exacerbated / facilitated / accelerated by social-media.

So, like you, I find the Internet tools indispensable ... Google ... especially Google Scholar ... and, Books ... oh! how I DO love that Google Books (since I spend a significant part of each day doing historical research, these are some of the most fantastic tools available ... ahhhhh ... the digitized collections of the national museums and the art collections of so many countries are now online, too) .... B-U-T ... I shudder when I see what is being done to the children all around me by the vapid, worthless, TRIPE that comprises 99.44+% of what is available to them on the Internet ... so much of it floods in upon them, that they never have a chance, it seems, to wade through the cascades of worthless filth to find the useful treasure-chests of information, and cultural gems, that are sparkling everywhere, just waiting in a million, no! a BILLION Alladin's caves! 

What is needed, in my opinion, is realization by more parents (and certainly more guidance and controls) of the dangers of the Internet to the psychological growth and well-being of their children.  

Best regards,

Bob Skiles (voluntary Internet addict)

Dear All,

All of what you have said is true, but I fear there is great danger to the socialization (and humanity) of youth (their long-term psychological well-being and mental health) from the heavy addiction to Internet use. Nowadays, children (in middle-class American society, by-and-large) are reared with no appreciation for the concept of moderation (nor hardly any appreciation of discipline). I do not see this as a harbinger for good outcomes for American society. The American study-habits (in the lamentable condition that they admittedly were PRIOR to the Internet sensation and social-media blowout bubble) and work-ethic has been, I believe, terminally wounded by: (1) the American fixation on celebrity-worship; (2) exacerbated / facilitated / accelerated by social-media.

So, like you, I find the Internet tools indispensable ... Google ... especially Google Scholar ... and, Books ... oh! how I DO love that Google Books (since I spend a significant part of each day doing historical research, these are some of the most fantastic tools available ... ahhhhh ... the digitized collections of the national museums and the art collections of so many countries are now online, too) .... B-U-T ... I shudder when I see what is being done to the children all around me by the vapid, worthless, TRIPE that comprises 99.44+% of what is available to them on the Internet ... so much of it floods in upon them, that they never have a chance, it seems, to wade through the cascades of worthless filth to find the useful treasure-chests of information, and cultural gems, that are sparkling everywhere, just waiting in a million, no! a BILLION Alladin's caves! 

What is needed, in my opinion, is realization by more parents (and certainly more guidance and controls) of the dangers of the Internet to the psychological growth and well-being of their children.  

Best regards,

Bob Skiles (voluntary Internet addict)

If not addiction dependency on internet has become a habit.

I am agree with Li. So, it totally depends on us that how we can handle this situation means everything has bad and good sides.....so, we can choose good ones means depend on the internet as required...

Dear Dr. Mitra,

I'm online all the time as my smart phone is always on. But I would prefer not to call myself an addict. To me, the Internet is the best channel to catch up with the world, and communicate with other Internet users wherever they are. The Internet helps me to be more independent in my search of information; it also cuts costs and reduces time for the completion of my works. I'm aware of the dark side of the Internet.  But well, I can't help feeling lucky to have lived in this digital age.  

Regards,

Cameen

Internet may be recognized as a necessity and boon in today's scenario; however, it may be addiction in some cases depending upon nature and extent of usage of internet.

Best regards.

Yes, it is! On the day, when internet is not working or power is creating problem, we can not work in the office. It remains a dull day.

Just entered this question,

and I must confess, for me internet is no addiction, internet with all its possibilities is a hand tool like books, phones, lexica and all the other known tools. But internet is fast and allows worldwide access. Please look at the partiparticipants of this thread here. Good!

Bob points out to something crucial we all know here, namely the difference between the digital native and the digital immigrants. To the social aspect just mentioned, it is also necessary to point out to the digital divide - a most sensitive problem worldwide.

Of course te internet does not go without saying. I am one more of those who is deeply in love with the web. Yet, we must be aware of some ups-and-downs about it.

I agree with several responses.  Cloud storage has lightened our baggage as @Umachandran has pointed out.  

@Bob, many of us are mature enough so that we can have the benefits of internet, while disciplining ourselves for our work, family and community responsibilities.  Yes, children would need guidance, and parents may need to go through the sites that children have surfed at times to be aware of what children have exposed themselves to.  With or without internet, parenting isn't easy.  Internet has helped me to speed up my work so that I can have valuable time for the persons family and friends who matter a lot.  But I also place some importance on my online friends.  I can know their personalities to some measure through this interaction on social media.  Let's have a thankful, rather than a complaining, spirit and use Internet as a public blessing.

Well, not to mention that marvellous fact: thanks to the web the world has literally become a small world. The small-world theory is a day-to-day real experience.

Dear Abhijit Mitra et al, 

It is very interesting what was said and i add that the cv of Abhijit is a very good one.

I give you my congratulations.

Have a nice day

Helena 

Internet may be addictive for some people, but I do not think it becomes a phenomenon or fact. But the Internet may consume a long time of the day sine it include variety of subjects and activities that can be performed through it.

I feel that it all depends on the basic grooming has received. If one is brought up thinking that more should be earned through interest then it will be difficult to change that thinking. On the other hand if one is groomed to be more of an entrerprerneur then the dependence on interest will be minimal or there will be no dependence on interest at all.

Traditionally inhabitants of those countries where the interest rate has always been low donot much depend on interest as a source of earning. But traditionally those countries where the interest rate has been high, the inhabitants largely do have a tendency to depend on it as atleast a partial source of income. 

Dependence on interest is also a function of the culture in which one is brought up. For example the Islamic culture the non-usage of interest income is promoted strictly atleast among the followers at large.

Technology is neither an addiction nor a compulsion. Your attitude towards technology turn you into an addict or a salve. Use it judiciously and don't get used up by it.

Instead of "addiction", I think is a new "norm" of using Internet as part of our lives to communicate, interact, learn, work, research & socialize with each others.  When IT getting more advanced like the new style of IT i.e. cloud computing, big data analytics, Virtual Desktop Infrastructure & mobility, Internet of Things, social networking etc., our personal and work lives have been / will be transformed in which we need to adapt & play along. 

However, with these advancement of technologies, we also need to focus on their security & disaster recovery in which when these advanced systems are compromised or unavailable due to disaster strikes / power cut-off or blackout, we have to ensure we can still continue to survive due to advanced planning / measures or fall back to manual method of the olden days.

Dear @Abhijit, let me bring good @Irina''s thread!

Over 1000 publications are available on internet addiction at Researchgate, link follows!

A Review of the Research on Internet Addiction by Chien Chou, Linda Condron, John C. Belland is attached.

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Does_Internet_addiction_disorder_lead_to_development_or_slavery

https://www.researchgate.net/publicliterature.PublicLiterature.search.html?type=keyword&search-keyword=internet+addiction

http://www.editlib.org/p/72971/

Dear Sir,

Yes I Agree with you but there are ethological advancements which puts the benefits more valuable than with the negative effects of contemporary fast paced life. Well we can now reach a technological advancement in a pushmail in our PDA or mail, can access the journals and E-learning books so fast  seamlessly and of course we can participate in such a debate with you this moment at RG, sharing all our individual views on the subject.

As a consequence, I only differ in terms of personal engagements, I feel it should not be contrasted with the electronic media thrusting an lithographic decay to our personal relationships within the society. We are still humans at the end of day and like humans we still have hopes and emotions, may be the carrier be a social site msg or a SMS but it make you feel good that someone is wishing for you and that's the good part of being a human in a civilised society.

Nevertheless we fall trap of some mischievous acts of some criminals buts thats the risks worth taken with all technological inventions. 

Cheers! You are really an Inspiration to many of us.

Joydeep.

I'm absolutely dependent, especially for work. But I feel sometimes that I'm unable to relax, cause I'm always achieved by work email and I feel compelled to take care of them every day even in the long-awaited vacation with family.

But it is a small problem compared to the many advantages and to the possibility to share ideas with people around the world...

stefania

For sure!!!

Nowadays even my grandfather got a smartphone to check on the weather news!!! It is all changing so fast...

Yes I Agree with you, and this addiction does not choose age nor profession, everyone is looking for something that he is interested in whether it's business, sports, entertainment, news. Everyone thinks that he is this information is needed now, and right now, there is no possibility to postpone your need is not for a short time, and this is one of the main characteristics of addiction. And yes, the modern world has become dependent on the Internet.

People have dropped writing letters, rather using Internet even for every type of messaging.

People are so addicted that they frequently check E-mails in the night also.

When reading all the interesting comments, here my short statement.

Using internet does not mean addiction. Please remember the invention of telephone. Could you imagine that this fact changed really the customs of people to an addiction, or don´t you accept, it made life easier?  To get addicted needs the personal "weak" behaviour.

I´m happy that I can use internet, if necessary, it again makes life easier.

Dear friends, please allow to tell you a real story:

Some time ago I had a long trip abroad with my family, but my mother. She is an 82 old lovely and caring woman. Some days before my departure I bought her a smartphone, and gave her the most basic tips so that we could communicate via various channels.

As a result, she plunged herself into the device, and started learning by herself, via trial and error how to command the phone. Now she browses the web, navigates and knows a number of apps as if she was a teenager (or almost).

She's become a real... fond of the web and these technologies. I do not dare to say that she is addicted to it, but she's connected most of time, now, with her younger friends, etc.

My point is: these devices and the very web are truly development in a friendly way so that you can manage them without having to be a tech-geek.

Dear Fellow Internet Junkies,

If it may serve as a small consolation to the few prescient futurists who may be concerned about the juggernaut "carcinogenic" and addictive effects of the Internet & its metastasized spawn "social media," let me say that just the other day, down the street at a conference here in Austin, I heard the "Great Woz" [Steve Wozniack, the ACTUAL brains behind the creation of the Apple computer, although NOT the brains behind its "weaponization"] make the following placating remarks, trying to reassure everyone that Artificial Intelligence will work-out just fine for us humans ... Wozniak said he used to lie-awake at night worrying about the concept, but he finally realized" "It's actually going to turn out really good for humans. And it will be hundreds of years down the stream before they'd [robots]  even have the ability [to replace or exterminate us]. They'll be so smart by then that they'll know they have to keep nature, and humans are part of nature. So I got over my fear that we'd be replaced by computers. They're going to help us. We're at least the gods originally."

That's when I realized that ol' Woz, who is a very rich and influential man in our society, who once had a great idea and capitalized on it, who I once looked-up-to as a decent computer guru, is now become a silly and foolish (possibly senile) old man (even more so than me)!

Perhaps he should spend less time playing Segway Polo[that's how he spent the afternoon, see photos in story at URL below]  and go watch the new Jurrasic World movie. It might give him some new ideas on the righteousness of humans' entitlement to a paramount place in nature. It might (if his brain is not too diseased by the vices of wealth and senility) make his sleepless nights return (if not have full-blown nightmares), worrying over what he has been part of creating that could have the potential for ultimately leading to the demise of our species?

Nah, I don't think the Woz has ever been capable of thinking on that level. He has always been much too ... binary ... now, Jobs (who stole his friend Woz's great invention, and then shoved him aside) ... he was a different story ... he had the capability of perceiving the future consequences of his creative genius and inventions (both those he stole from friends and bought from rivals). Like Einstein KNEW about the potential for ending-it-all in his nuclear formulae ... Jobs knew about the potential for devastion and upheavals, if not of the species, certainly for the fabric of society as we know it ... he knew it back-then when he and Woz first started out, that his, creations and Apple corporation would revolutionize the American and global societies, all for his self-aggrandizement and enrichment. But at what cost to us? I argue at a far greater cost than the hundreds of $US you will pay for your next latest numbered model of the iPhone in order to maintain your trendiness quotient ... to be ever so C-O-O-L ... to flash in front of the faces of your trendy friends [but not, personally so-to-speak, in-your-face ... rather, POSTED on social-media ... perhaps at the end of a "selfie-stick" ... and that, my addicted Internet friends, clinches the point that I am trying to make to you more poignantly than any other expression I could possibly dream-up ... that expression encapsulates the whole mad Internet addiction psychosis "selfie-stick"] as the latest international status symbol ... the surest icon that you belong to the modern avante-garde ... the NEW American Express card ... "Don't leave home without it!" In fact, do Internet junkies even leave home at all anymore? How about your kids? I suppose they still have to in order to go out to hook-up (to exchange drugs, sex and pose for selfies)? Or do you look-the-other-way, now, when they do that in your home, as you did when they freely roamed the streets (and allies ?) of the Internet, un-chaperoned, as children?

The big difference between Einstein and Jobs was a conscience ... Einstein cared ... Jobs didn't give-a-rats-behind ... that callous, narcissistic bastard was only ever interested in one thing ... anything that would enrich or glorify himself! And that's what social-media using Apple hardware is all about, today ... training your children to be ... little 3D imprinted dopplegangers of Steve Jobs ... the metastasis of Steve Jobs' narcissitic ego ,,, hahahahahhahahahahahaha ... I fear our global society is veering toward madness through the addiction of the next-generation to the Internet and social-media, yet all anyone seems concerned about is the (largely imaginary danger of anthrogenically caused) global-warming! Your children are being given cancer of their souls through their ever-flitting fingertips and you're only worried about the size of MY carbon footprint? Alas! How blinding addictions are to their victims!

Regards,

Bob

PS - The robots will kill us all long before global-warming (*hee*hee*)! Hasn't anyone seen Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator series of movies? 

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/wozniak-talks-self-driving-cars-apple-watch-and-how-ai-will-benefit-humanity/?tag=nl.e101&s_cid=e101&ttag=e101&ftag=TRE684d531

Dear @Bob, thanks for fine interview/discussion. Steve Wozniak is genius, I do like him. There's no one better than Wozniak, the modern day Thomas Edison, to share wisdom on how to invent something worthwhile....

"Ignorance,the absence of culture, refinement, sensitivity are the states, which are abnormal for a human being.The illness of brain passes to the ethical zone"D.S.Likhachov.In the context of the information war,this situation is characteristic of "grey eminence",Trolls,manipulators, who may be behind the broken personal information.I think, it may be a real danger for the teens.The Internet can't transfer an intelligent person into "a human being of Plato"

Of course, I am addicted. I can not live without the web. Need it to start the day, even before reading poetry, which I always do, even before...

Yes, today this kind of addiction is still considered socially acceptable, and over does not raise a lot of noise. Of course, we all have a greater or lesser extent dependent on the internet whether it comes to business, contact with family, friends or something else. But, should be considered when it becomes a real dependence I would rather go out to the network than I do some important or less important jobs, to go and spend time with friends live.Today, people have 300 or more friends, or on Facebook, and we should not forget that the vast majority of them are mainly virtual friends

Dear All,

The honorable Han Ping Fung ·of Hewlett Packard has pointed-out a huge danger in our Internet addiction and reliance on social-media in times of true national emergencies and natural disasters when these may not be available. Even if available, subject to incapacitation and uselessness through inundation of massive use through hysteria and spread of paranoia. I believe we do ourselves a grave danger by overlooking the honorable Han Ping Fung's wise words of warning that we need to always stay prepared by maintaining, knowing and training the citizenry, particularly public safety personnel, with the old traditional, and reliable, methods of mass communication, as well.

Regards,

Bob Skiles