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The Facebook generation

Posted by
Curly (South Shields, United Kingdom) on 9 March 2013 in People & Portrait and Portfolio.

"Junior" does what every teenager in South Shields does - checks Facebook two and three times a day. Keeps in touch with his pals then goes out and does exactly the same on Blackberry Messenger. At least he is physically active when he is out of doors with plenty of walking, running, and skateboarding, but I worry about how many of our youth are virtually imprisoned by screens and technology?

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PATRICK from miramas, France

yes every checks facebook and twitter and they live in virtuel environnement

9 Mar 2013 7:24am

ursulakatariina from Ed, Sweden

What, only two or three times a day? I thought they spend their every waken moment there. :)

9 Mar 2013 7:32am

CElliottUK from Reading, United Kingdom

When the kids were younger, the ultimate sanction for misdemeanours was a "No Screens" ban. No screens meant no TV, PS/3, XBox360, phone, PC etc. It had more impact than grounding. Just moving the back to my youth....I would leave school in the afternoon, get on the 18 bus, where I would chat to my mates, have a coffee in Reading, more chatting, get on the 23, more blah, walk home, final conversation......until, much to the chagrin of my parents, I would ask if I could use the phone(Black, Bakelite, in the hall, cold, a million quid a minute to use) So even back then, I was addicted to social media-except it was called a phone.

9 Mar 2013 7:38am

Emma G from Auckland, New Zealand

Yes, it's a very different life for this generation...mind you, my parents used to go mad at me for spending hours on the phone in the evenings chatting to my friends who I'd only just seen at school!! Great photo Curly :)

9 Mar 2013 7:40am

Christine from Ellemford, United Kingdom

The same everywhere :)

9 Mar 2013 8:15am

Nigel from Avening, United Kingdom

Says it all - the wheel will turn full circle and one day we'll actually go out and meet people to talk to them...........

9 Mar 2013 8:21am

Phil Morris from Saskatoon, Toronto, Canada

Yes technology does have its dirty little secrets, its an addiction also which can do some
real damage, I like how you have photographed this scene !~

9 Mar 2013 9:45am

Veronique from France-and-, Switzerland

I agree with celliott....It's only the support which changes

9 Mar 2013 10:32am

J.R. from Urasoe City, Japan

Meeting at the coffee shop is my thing, but I can't get anyone off FB long enough to have coffee with me.

9 Mar 2013 11:16am

Marie-Line from Lille, France

Well done!

9 Mar 2013 11:17am

Lougris from Toulouse, France

et oui, c'est ainsi !!! :):)

9 Mar 2013 11:28am

gerard1948 from Somewhere on earth, Spain

Excellent, Black and White, it's superb. I know this problem, I have a 17 year old son, addicted like his generation to screens.
Have a good weekend.

9 Mar 2013 12:28pm

Joyce from Montana, United States

I guess the good old telephone was true for my generation too, and TV. There is much talk now about the present tech addiction. I ordered a book by a psychologist that exposes the departure from real life that our youth are stuck in. Hopefully, they will wise up, experience the density and eventual boredom of it all, and the pendulum will swing back into balance? I have a young friend who cannot be reached other than text. So many people do not value commitment so stuck in there electronically jailed heads, and not the physical world. It's creepy really all of it. And yet the technology is wonderful advancement. The thing is it has been fed massively to the people without wisdom, greed being the m.o.

9 Mar 2013 2:12pm

Judy aka L@dybug from Brooksville, FL, United States

Such a pertinent and provocative image, Curly!

Just yesterday we were researching an upgrade for our cellphone; we use an old 'flip phone' (not a smart one). The options are few for we 'oldies' that prefer not to live our lives in a small rectangle in our hands. Our eyes aren't what they used to be, and our thumbs are a bit arthritic for the 'texting game'. Ohhh, the dilemmas of aging. *grin*

9 Mar 2013 2:27pm

hugo poon from hong kong, Hong Kong

Fabulously composed and exposed, Curly! Strong and provocative indeed! Interestingly I remember our parents worrying about us as well... maybe our kids will find their way too just as we found (thought to have found) ours!:-)

9 Mar 2013 3:28pm

Rick from Toronto, Canada

An excellent image and a global predicament that is now very much under discussion in my country, as child obesity and inactivity have reached new heights (or lows, depending on your semantics)... I am not yet even on Facebook, having learned during the MySpace years how time better spent outdoors or on creativity can be sucked away by those sites, and yet I understand the value of Facebook for people to keep in touch where they otherwise wouldn't. Balance is the key, I suppose. I know of people who are on their Facebook pages FAR more than the numbers you cite above.

9 Mar 2013 3:58pm

Mandar from Kudal, India

Humm....an addict.....

9 Mar 2013 4:31pm

grouser from Ludlow, United Kingdom

Nice doc shot Curly. Not just 'youf' methinks

9 Mar 2013 6:17pm

Ainsley from Derbyshire, United Kingdom

They probably think the same as us when we take ages to edit the photos we took of when we were out and about. The exercise isn't what worries me, it's the loss of the ability to communicate verbally that worries me. It definitely has it's advantages and as a user myself I like the flexibility it gives me to "share" with whoever I chose. But it's never as a good as a chat down the pub with friends... as long as they aren't checking in rather than listening :)

9 Mar 2013 7:30pm

kiwisa from North Shore, New Zealand

I think the addiction is spread over all ages, I love my fb connection with family and friends worldwide.

9 Mar 2013 7:37pm

Laurie from Flagstaff, United States

Hi Curly! Oh I have missed so much! Just went through your shots for the last few days and my heart was there in England again! Thank you for thinking of me recently! Made me realize how much I've been missing photographing and Am3. Working 50+ hours/week doesn't leave much time!
I love this shot-it epitomizes the young of our world. For good or bad only time will tell.

9 Mar 2013 7:55pm

Irene from San Francisco, United States

Excellent photo of "Junior".

9 Mar 2013 10:22pm

Shar from Pilot Butte near Regina, SK, Canada

Yes, the world has changed. For every improvement, there seems to be a downfall!

9 Mar 2013 10:49pm

Elaine Hancock from Rockville, United States

I remember with my kids, it was the cordless phone. They would take it up in their rooms and it would be gone for hours. I think it is worse now with all the technology at their fingertips. Great image!

10 Mar 2013 1:33am

Jeff from Honolulu, United States

Nice image. You are right about the excess screen time (and that's just counting me).

10 Mar 2013 7:19am

StarCosmosBleu from Bedford.Qc, Canada

Somehow when you see all the violence in real life,the lack of true communication with folks who barely care anymore,and the fast speed production of material things..its a bit safer at home..but you definitely got to go outdoors to get air,sun,walk,play etc...maybe all is a phase..who knows

10 Mar 2013 5:23pm

k@ from Paris, France

Super well seen & framed to enhance the diving attitude in THE other world.

12 Mar 2013 11:13am

Jules from Drayton, United Kingdom

got to confess I like Facebook but the younger generation seemed glued to it. I laughed so much when a friend of mine went on holiday and posted updates every 5 mins saying what a wonderful time he was having - then someone commented that he obviously wasn't having that a great time as he was spending all his time on Facebook!

12 Mar 2013 12:53pm

Stu from From Scotland | Living in 京都 Kyoto, Japan

I share your sentiments there Curly. Most people here seem to be complete zombies these days with their faces buried in mobile devices of one kind or another. I'm not a luddite or anything but it amazes me that more people don't notice how they're behaviour has fundamentally been altered since so-called smart phones came along.

Rant over....

14 Mar 2013 12:51pm

FUJIFILM FinePix F550EXR
1/13 second
F/5.5
ISO 400
22 mm

black-and-white
south-shields
boy
junior