In the age of social media, many people have more interactions on the internet than in real life. This experience has been coined as a new descriptive term: Chronically online.
According to the Urban Dictionary, the chronically online are those who have become so absorbed in internet culture and online discourse, they’ve lost touch with what happens in the real world. They can misinterpret discussions, and get offended over things most healthy people would not.
According to Pew Research, 65% of Americans think people getting too easily offended is a major problem, but a slimmer majority of 53% believe those saying offensive things are the issue.
What’s clear is that people have become a lot more engaged online. A new scientific study published in JAMA Pediatrics highlights how being on the web for such long periods of time is actually affecting the brains and sensitivity of teenagers.
The study was conducted with students 12 to 13 years old when research began. Over a 3-year period, the kids reported their social media behavior and underwent imaging of their brains. Those who checked social media more often showed greater neural sensitivity in parts of the brain, while those who checked social media less showed less sensitivity.
The researchers say it’s not clear whether or not that’s a good thing.
A lead researcher said in the study that “Heightened sensitivity could lead to later compulsive social media behaviors, or it could reflect an adaptive neural change that helps teens navigate their social worlds.”