Facebook vs. Real World Friendship

Hunt Allcott, Luca Braghieri, Sarah Eichmeyer, and Matthew Gentzkow researched the impact of cold-turkey withdrawal from Facebook and observed that the research subject's lives changed for the better. A less technical account of the research results is given by Minda Zetlin in an Inc. article.

The implications are disturbing to me, as our schools, churches and other social welfare organizations use or promote social media use. It appears to me that social media is like alcoholic beverages - justifiable only when used for social purposes in moderation.

Though as a minimal user of social media, it is not painful for me to be so judgmental . . . .

-DD