Social networking websites are causing alarming changes in the brains
of young users, an eminent scientist has warned.
Sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Bebo are said to shorten attention
spans, encourage instant gratification and make young people more
self-centred.
The claims from neuroscientist Susan Greenfield will make disturbing reading for the millions whose social lives depend on logging on to their favourite websites each day.
But they will strike a chord with parents and teachers who complain that many youngsters lack the ability to communicate or concentrate away from their screens.
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More than 150million use Facebook to keep in touch with friends, share
photographs and videos and post regular updates of their movements
and thoughts.
A further six million have signed up to Twitter, the 'micro-blogging'
service that lets users circulate text messages about themselves.
But while the sites are popular - and extremely profitable - a growing
number of psychologists and neuroscientists believe they may be doing
more harm than good.
Baroness Greenfield, an Oxford University neuroscientist and director
of the Royal Institution, believes repeated exposure could effectively
'rewire' the brain.
