Internet Addiction KIERSTEN JOHNSON What is the internet? - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Internet Addiction

KIERSTEN JOHNSON

What is the internet?

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What is addiction

Addiction - the compulsion to continually use a substance or engage in a behavior which produce short-term rewards despite the negative impact [1]

• tolerance, compulsive use, withdrawal

Behavioral Addiction - an addiction specifically associated with a behavior [1]

• i.e. gambling, self-harm, eating compulsions
• Internet addiction is classified as such

Addiction and Diagnosis: A Brief History

• Addictive substances and behaviors have coexisted with humans as long as we have existed
• Difficult to legitimize as a disorder
• Case: Alcoholism
• First argued as disease in 1784 by physician Benjamin Rush, yet not formally recognized by

the American Medical Association until 1952 [2]

• Difference of 168 years
• Proper classification takes immense case studies and research

Internet Addiction Disorder

• First introduced by Dr. Kimberly Young in 1996
• Watched a friend’s marriage fall apart due to husband

spending 60+ hours online

• Used the definition of gambling disorder from the

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM – 4) and applied it to internet use [3]

• Internet gaming disorder was introduced in most recent

DSM-5 in order to spark research [4]

• Has been recognized as legitimate in both South Korea

and China [5]

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Internet Addiction Disorder (cont.)

• In order to be considered an addiction the person must either:

1. Has jeopardized or risked the loss of a significant relationship, job, educational or career

• pportunity because of the Internet;

2. Has lied to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with the Internet; 3. Uses the Internet as a way of escaping from problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood (e.g., feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression) [3]

• It is predicted that 9.7% of females and 7.3% of males in the U.S. have an

internet addiction [4]

Real Life Dangers

ChinaSmack.com

• Multiple deaths have been linked to

exhaustion due to online gaming marathons

• In 2012, a 32-year-old man was found

dead in an internet cafe in Taiwan

• Lost job due to gaming addiction
• He ignored his family for days on

end to play online

• Corpse went unnoticed for 10

hours [6]

Real Life Dangers (cont.)

• In 2011, a Connecticut woman was found guilty of embezzling $166,000 from

her employer

• Spent the majority money on the online game Mafia Wars [7]
• Focused more on her online life than the real life consequences

Wikipedia.org

reSTART Rehabilitation Center

• Uses techniques similar to traditional drug

and alcohol rehabilitation centers [3]

• ex: mindfulness, cognitive behavioral

therapy, animal therapy

• 2015 Treatment Results [10]
• Before: 93% of patients were unable to

control their internet use

• After: 28 – 33.33% of patients were unable

to control their internet use

NetAddictionRecovery.com

Internet Addiction: Supply and Demand

• The two main sides of the internet addiction problem are

tech companies and the users of its products.

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Technology Companies

• Companies that create a platform, application, game, etc. that needs the internet to function

properly

• ex: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Zynga Games
• Scenario: Company releases a product which is enjoyed by many, but leads to a few users

becoming addicted to it

• Act Utilitarianism
• Pro: More users leads to more profit; Success may lead to expansion; Many people derive

happiness from product

• Con: Few become addicted to the game, however internet addiction is not yet legitimate

Tech Companies and Kantianism

• In general, business techniques rarely pass as ethical

under Kantianism

• Users of mobile social media platforms experience a

reward similar to pulling a slot machine when checking their profiles [8].

• Former Google design ethicist Tristan Harris reveals

companies intentionally play off of this when designing their app logos.

• Design implementations with no other purpose than to

increase time on device are unethical

LawrenceCawood.com

Users

• Companies alone cannot be solely to blame for

internet addiction

• A writer for The Guardian, was so sick of checking his

phone, he switched to a “dumb” Nokia 3310

• Caused communication errors with job and family
• Ended up switching back after four days [9]
• Social Contract Theory:
• Created a society which values connectivity
• Having a smartphone is seemingly necessary

TheGuardian.com

What can be done?

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What can be done?

• People are often skeptical of addictions while companies

that profit from them

• ex: Tobacco companies and the dangers of smoking
• Self-police
• Limit your own time on social media sites, online

games, or other time consuming sites

• Acknowledge the potential dangers excessive internet

use can have

• Be mindful of when you are using the internet as

escapism

• Time alert settings provided by the product creator
• ex: Nintendo giving notifications encouraging breaks

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Conclusion

• Internet Addiction poses a serious threat to vulnerable individuals
• As members of society we must show understanding
• Acceptance leads to more research and case studies
• This can lead to better treatment techniques and accurate diagnosis
• As programmers take into account the impact you have on society

Sources

[1] American Addiction Centers, Behavioral Addictions. April 2018. [Online]. Available: https://americanaddictioncenters.org/behavioral-addictions/. [Accessed 4 April 2018]. [2] A. Talcherkar, “Timeline: History of Addiction Treatment,” Recovery.org. 29 March 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.recovery.org/topics/history-of-addiction-treatment/. [Accessed 4 April 2018]. [3] H. Cash, C.D. Rae, A.H. Steel, and A. Winkler, “Internet Addiction: A Brief Summary of Research and Practice,” Current Psychiatry Reviews. Nov 2012. [Online]. Available : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3480687/#R10. [Accessed 4 April 2018]. [4] American Psychiatric Association, Internet Gaming Disorder. 2013. [Online]. Available : https://www.psychiatry.org/.../DSM/APA_DSM-5-Internet-Gaming-Disorder.pdf. [Accessed 4 April 2018]. [5] D.H. Ahn, “Korean Policy on Treatment and Rehabilitation for Adolescents’ Internet Addiction.” International Symposium on the Counseling and Treatment of Youth Internet Addiction, Seoul, Korea, 2007.

Sources (cont.)

[6] K. Hunt, “Man dies in Taiwan after 3-day online gaming binge,” CNN. 19 January 2015. [Online]. Available: https://www.cnn.com/2015/01/19/world/taiwan-gamer-death/index.html. [Accessed 4 April 2018] [7] M. Eddy, “Woman Arrested For Embezzling $166,000 for Mafia Wars, Other Zynga Games,” The Mary Sue. 16 December 2011. [Online]. Available: https://www.themarysue.com/embezzling-zynga-addiction/. [Accessed 4 April 2018]. [8] T. Harris, “How Technology is Hijacking Your Mind – From a Magician and Google Design Ethicist,” Thrive

• Global. 18 May 2016. [Online]. Available: https://journal.thriveglobal.com/how-technology-hijacks-peoples-

minds-from-a-magician-and-google-s-design-ethicist- 56d62ef5edf3. [Accessed 4 April 2018] [9] D. Lengel, “I’ve decided to reclaim my life – by using an old Nokia phone,” The Guardian. 31 March 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/mar/31/nokia-3310-t9-phone-smartphone- iphone-reclaim-life. [Accessed 4 April 2018] [10] reSTART, “2015 Treatment Outcome Results,” 2016. [Online]. Available: https://netaddictionrecovery.com/programs/outcome-research/where-are-they-now/640-2015-treatment-

• utcome-results.html. [Accessed 4 April 2018].