At one time or another, we’ve heard just about everything can cause cancer. But Facebook and MySpace? Indirectly, yes, says a new report.
The Biologist, a journal from the U.K.’s Institute of Biology, says “addiction” to these sites and others can actually alter the way our genes work, resulting in serious health problems that include cancer, dementia and strokes.
This is because we’ve greatly increased the amount of time we spend in our own little worlds with technology – removed from personal, physical interaction.
The report says this is actually resulting in physiological changes that can affect the extent of serious diseases and how mortality rates associated with them. That’s because things like hormone levels, blood pressure and immune responses can change over time, in part, thanks to our addictions to technology like social networking.
The report says more studies need to be done, especially on younger people, who are most likely to become attached to their devices and detached from society.
