From a study:

(Among teens born after 1995) suicide risk factors rose significantly after two or more hours a day of time online. That's a teaser. The meat is at

https://theconversation.com/with-teen-mental-health-deteriorating-over-five-years-theres-a-likely-culprit-86996

...and the meat is: social media - there's a surprise (sarcasm)

I've said it before, many times, and will say it again: Facebook is evil.

Vladimir Putin disagrees with you.

Any site can turn bad i have learned over the years.

it's a way to stay in touch with people whom you genuinely enjoy, but for whatever reason, you are unable to visit them in person or call them on the phone. Since my best friend died, nearly 3 years ago, I'm not a big fan of calling someone just to talk.)

(Case in point: I have been IRL friends with our own "Brigantia" (who doesn't seem to lurk here much any more) for ages - even stayed at her house when visiting England years ago, but we stay in touch occasionally via FB.)

As my physical mobility decreases, I am more appreciative of the internet.

FB and other media may be partly responsible for youth problems, but why not examine the technology as well? The smartphones are proven to irradiate the brain with damaging, carcinogenic microwaves, and there are now "cell towers" (microwave broadcast stations) on almost every urban block, it seems. This represents a mass public health experiment with no precedent or follow up, no meaningful trials or period of discovery, little public scholarship. Like the "smart meters", the towers are presented a fait accompli, and public input is not wanted. The future results are completely unknown, and mental illness, suicides, tumors, poor health etc. may all be early signs of the toxicity of this technology. Combine this with low quality toxic foods, toxic entertainments, polluted air and water, and a society under stress as possibly never before, and you might expect some negative results in the lives of our youth.

The majority would rather die than give up electronic social life, entertainment, friendship. I remember using a typerwritter wth carbon paper and making sure I had money when calling 3 cities over. I am so old.