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Brandon A. Finster

Professor Watkins

English-1113 55L

15 November 18

Online Devices Vices

In most of our lives, there is an ample amount of time spent on devices possibly affecting

how we interact with others, and how we engage in our daily activities. Our small online devices

grant us an indescribable amount of uses including downloading apps, watching videos, and

taking pictures. This, consequently, had led many us to start replacing large portions of our older

devices that some people may have thought were or still is irreplaceable. If we want to find ways

to use these devices without oversaturating ourselves with an endless amount of distractions and

numerous eye strains, we must be aware of risks such a complicated device may carry.

Some of these possible risks could be social media platforms. Therefore, it may be wise

for those of us who enjoy using social media apps and sites to understand the less than visible

factors at play. An article on marketing addiction details this by describing how media sites can

have a vested interest to maintain its clientele and many of them have a business model that

focuses on generating income through a multitude of strategies design to captivate us to desire

more. (Darmoc, 2). This is one way some social media platforms might give us more than we

anticipated. Social media can also hinder university students as this article explains “a multitude

of studies showed that technological addictions, including addictions on the Internet and social

networking sites, had positive associations with stress, anxiety, and depression and negative

association with academic performance, all of which negatively affects satisfaction with life”.
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(Nazir and Maya, 578). This addictive nature of social media that article refers to multiple

studies not only showing the decreases life satisfaction in university students since it the article

described the depleting effect in other portions of the general population as well. Social media

companies know how to implement techniques capable of swaying people behavior and draining

people life of satisfaction.

Even if we are aware of some of the issues that can occur when using social networks, we

can run into other problems like the numerous distraction that online entertainment caries. Since

there is an ever-expanding collection of movies, video games, and music, it might result in

entertainment that is too accessible. People have the option to watch movies, listen to music, or

buy online books for as little as a ten-dollar subscription, which grants them access to scores of

different genres across several decades, but this also leads some people to overindulge on the

plethora amount of streaming service available to them. Cultured can form from the countless

forms of entertainment that many of our lives are centered around. When I was at my friend

O’Neill’s house, a group of around four or five of our friends had brought their consoles, and

some even brought their headsets and chargers. This would have been viewed as just an ordinary

event a little over a decade ago, but It is just one of the occurring trends that modern life may

bring. There is nothing wrong with enjoying most forms of entertainment whether derived from

the internet or not, but the ease and access of online services may be a double edge sword that on

one hand can be a convenient tool for amusement, but on the other can distract, and derail our

plans, which may lead to failed projects and possible regrets.

We might be able to manage to use these an assortment of media platforms responsibly.

However, we can still run into issues because of the devices themselves like the peculiar side

effects that arise when we are on our phones for too long. An article from a scientific journal
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describes a hypothesis form from a study that infers a possible increase in a person state of

anxiety when he or she is kept from their mobile phones momentarily. (Sapacz, Rockman, And

Clark, 155). This is just one of many examples showing how a device appearing outwardly

benign can have their worrisome risk. Occasionally, people’s devices can even infringe on their

sleep. A controlled study that showed the negative side effects of computer use stated, “that

computer use during leisure for thirty or more hours per week (reference 0–10 hours per week)

was associated with increased odds of sleep problems.” (Lar and Helene, 1367). This shows that

we should really watch the amount of time we spend on our computers. Some of us may feel

safer with our mechanical appliances because we developed an odd bond with them, but they

may in fact in certain circumstances harm our emotional and physical health.

Even though our devices can affect our personal health and mindset in undesirable ways,

they can also allow for many positive attributes as well like the freedom to have easier access to

information and the opportunity to connect with people. If we have access to the internet, it is

easier for us to gain access to multiple perspectives from topics ranging from health, history, and

current events. When I use my browser, I can have access to various news publications, studies,

and scientific journals. Browsers can also give me the capacity to saves these sites because I can

use them to pin taps and books mark web pages, and I can go through this saved publication and

articles later if I need to. The internet grants me the opportunity to connect with family members

that may be far out of reach. Apps like google chat and Skype can be used to have face to face

conversations, which is what I would consider more personal than just texting alone because

there is more emotional feedback than what texting could ever do. Our mobile tools help us

communicate with people and gives access to information, which can result in a world that is

easier to connect with and understand one another.

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Since I know how distracting the internet can be, I need to watch my online media

consumption. I must balance my social, school, and work life. For instance, a few too many

hours of binging watching Netflix Shows can be the difference between a smoothly run schedule

and a poorly executed mess. Having a somewhat tight schedule compared to before I started

school, it leads me to find ways to organize my media use in a way best suited for me. This

resulted in me to move my time watching Netflix and YouTube to the weekend and move my

music and podcast to when I am at work, which allows me the ability enjoy my favorite show

and videos without the possible hazards of getting trap into a series of shows that just me be too

tempting. However, with the many updates and messages that I receive daily, my plans could

still be diverted and postponed. One moment, I am looking for videos trying work out, and the

next moment I am watching top ten videos because they happen to pop-up. Being connected to

the internet, I am also connected to a broad spectrum of derailments that can interrupt my plans.

For us to balance are many online appliances and avoid the substantial amount of

problems that could occur while using them, we need to understand the frequent hitches that

often come with such intricate technology. Now in days, a lot of us are overly occupied with our

smartphones, laptops, and other devices linking us to the internet. We may face difficulties while

avoiding and managing the broad arrangement of text, the many serious of videos, and the ever

so frequent pop-ups that we often stumble upon. However, it is necessary for some of us to gain

access to information that would otherwise be unattainable and connect with those we are most

attached to. My phone and computer are the greatest distractions I have at my disposal, while

also being one of the most versatile tools to download apps, read blogs, and watch videos.

Work Cited
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Andersen, Lars Louis, and Anne Helene Garde. “Sleep Problems and Computer Use during

Work and Leisure: Cross-Sectional Study among 7800 Adults.” Chronobiology

International, vol. 32, no. 10, May 2015, pp. 1367–1372,

doi:10.3109/07420528.2015.1095202.

Darmoc, Rebecca. “Marketing Addiction: The Dark Side of Gaming and Social Media.” Journal

of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, vol. 56, no. 4, Jan. 2018, pp. 2–2,

doi:10.3928/02793695-20180320-01.

Hawi, Nazir S., and Maya Samaha. “The Relations among Social Media Addiction, Self-Esteem,

and Life Satisfaction in University Students.” Social Science Computer Review, vol. 35,

no. 5, Oct. 2016, pp. 576–586, doi:10.1177/0894439316660340.

Sapcaz, M. Rockman, G and Clark, J. “Are We Addicted to Our Cell Phones?” Computers in

Human Behavior.” Vol 57 April 2016, Vol.57, pp. 153-159 10.1016/j.chb.2015.12.004