It’s nearly undeniable that Facebook is becoming an epidemic for our generation. From Farmville to Facebook chat, this website is consuming the lives of kids our age. The various applications that Facebook has to offer have shifted from quick entertainment to an unconventional addiction.

Social networking sites have been a part of our lives for years. Our generation has shifted from using Xanga in elementary school, to Myspace in middle school and finally Facebook in high school. These sites have identified themselves as a part our lives and even our development.

We seem to be relying on sites like Facebook as our primary means of communication, a principal source of entertainment and essentially, a second life within our computer screen.
So when does this activity cross the boundary between a harmless activity and an unhealthy social problem?

We at The Patriot feel that the Facebook craze, while beneficial in some ways, is quickly getting out of hand. Some teenagers spend more time socializing on Facebook than they do in person.
Facebook is becoming a crutch for those who are not confident or comfortable enough to approach others the old-fashioned way.

We’ve reached a point where a friendship starts with a friend-request and a relationship is invalid if it is not “Facebook official.” Some people even assume that if a person cannot be found on Facebook then they do not exist.
It’s impossible to tell how we’ve come to allow our lives to be defined by social networking sites but it’s evident a change must be made.

Facebook is a reliable tool that should be utilized in moderation, but what teens need to realize is that it should not dictate their everyday lives.