The Queen may not agree, considering she just logged in, but being on Facebook isn’t such a “cool” thing anymore. The concept of laying out your life and friends online is now acquiring a passé tag, as people realise the perils of sharing their intimate details on the social network. Moreover, avid users also get branded as low on self-esteem, depressed and candidates for social isolation.
On the back of this comes a new study that says social networks may also lead to anxiety and stress issues. Because of the ubiquitous presence of these sites in our lives, doctors and scientists warn that the constant online competition for friends or gaming might prove hazardous.
Dr Varkha Chulani, clinical psychiatrist, says being on Facebook is emotionally draining, and she advocates a minimum age limit for usage. “As per policy, Facebook doesn’t allow users under 18 to sign up, but there is no proof of identity and anybody can create a profile. Once there, the entire process can get too taxing leading to anxiety,” she says.
Psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty, however, puts the onus on the users rather than the social networking sites themselves. “Stress and asthma attacks can happen even without these factors. The Facebook angle to it is incidental. It depends on the user, how he uses it. You can’t stop being a part of social networking sites just to avoid this problem,” he said.