Annie Cashon

Every day, millions of people use computers for research, the Internet and computer games, MySpace, Instant Messenger, and for other uses. Computers can be a good learning tool, but have we become too dependent on these machines? I believe that our society has become overwhelmingly dependent on computers. Internet predators, obesity, and lack of basic writing skills are all potential dangers of excessive computer usage.
First of all, many teens who use the Internet are at high risk of exposure to dangerous Internet predators and stalkers. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, there are currently 600,000 registered sex offenders in the United States and 150,000 of them have been lost in the system. Only 5 percent of Internet predators concealed the fact that they were adults when talking to minors on the Internet. Although most teens knew the age of the person they were talking to, 16 percent considered meeting them and 8 percent actually met someone they only knew online (NJOV study). Even though most teens know the risks of unsafe Internet use, according to the National Teen Internet Survey, about 69 percent of teens who regularly receive personal messages online from people they don’t know don’t tell a trusted adult about it.
Secondly, did you know that 1 out of every 3 teenagers in America is obese? The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has stated that 50 to 80 percent of these obese teens grow up to be obese adults. In a recent study by the Department of Public Health in Helsinki, Finland, researchers found that the number of hours that the adolescents spent on their home computers was positively associated with the risk of becoming overweight. Similarly, a recent US study linked computer use among preschool children to higher adiposity. Like TV watching and cell phone use, computer use is believed to increase the proportion of time devoted to sedentary activities. Even though 92 percent of US high schools offer sport programs, almost 50 percent of students do not participate, according to the US Embassy.
Finally, computers are thought to contribute to poor basic writing and editing skills. A government census in 2003 found that 62 percent of households have computers. That’s about 62 percent of high school students who might potentially use those computers for school. Nowadays, many computers have a built in spellchecker and grammar checker. How are kids supposed to learn how to spell and edit when a computer is doing it for them? Professor Gerald Grow of Florida A & M University believes that “computers seem to tempt people to substitute writing for thinking.” It is also extremely easy for students to use computers to plagiarize text from the Internet and call it their own writing, an act which is illegal.
Some people say that computers are a great way to keep in touch with your friends. Why not just talk to them in person, call them on the phone, or write them a letter? It is extremely hard to convey emotion when talking online to a buddy. Talking to someone in person is much better way to hold a conversation and you get to see and interact with them. It also cuts down on the electric bill.
In conclusion, I believe that people are becoming too dependent on computers. Computers are also dangerous with all of the Internet predators, risks of obesity, and lack of learning writing skills. Too much of anything is bad, including these machines. So next time you are thinking of plugging in, why not go for a walk to your library or go meet your friends instead? People should be doing things for themselves, instead of letting computers do it for them. If people keep leading computer dependent lives, how long until we forget how to live?