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From my point of view, Roger Rigway is getting into a harmful behaviour. His virtual relationships may seem truly close now, but they are not real, and he can be alone and far from his friends and family at the end of the day. I would advise him to go to a specialist in order to control his addition and do a rational use of the computer and the net.
Nowadays distinguishing what is true from what is an invention of the media is really difficult. The media generate hundreds of articles and opinions of any issue, and the professional articles and those without any basis are a blend.
But keeping in mind the time I spend with the computer or surfing on the internet myself, I suspect that this type of addition may be real. And when I see my nephew and niece, who are teenagers, that has the mobile glued to their hand… I have no doubt!
I really think that we live in an age when developing an addiction is easier. We have access to a great deal of information, tools, activities… And everything goes faster and more intense, so it is not rare to be immersed fully in something that we are interested in up to the point that this interest become an addiction or obsession. It can be computer, health care, food care or even a film (Just look at the Star Wars’ freakies!),
Anyway, computers or mobiles are absolutely integrated in our lives. I use them for work, for study, for read, for watch movies and series, for talk to my friends and family… So the question should be, what don’t I use them for? So, the advantages are much more than the disadvantages. We have only to learn to use them reasonably, and to maintain them under control.

From my point of view, Roger Rigway is getting into a harmful behaviour. His virtual relationships may seem truly close now, but they are not real, and he can be alone and far from his friends and family at the end of the day. I would advise him to go to a specialist in order to control his addition and do a rational use of the computer and the net.
Nowadays distinguishing what is true from what is an invention of the media is really difficult. The media generate hundreds of articles and opinions of any issue, and the professional articles and those without any basis are a blend.
But keeping in mind the time I spend with the computer or surfing on the internet myself, I suspect that this type of addition may be real. And when I see my nephew and niece, who are teenagers, that has the mobile glued to their hand… I have no doubt!
I really think that we live in an age when developing an addiction is easier. We have access to a great deal of information, tools, activities… And everything goes faster and more intense, so it is not rare to be immersed fully in something that we are interested in up to the point that this interest become an addiction or obsession. It can be computer, health care, food care or even a film (Just look at the Star Wars’ freakies!),
Anyway, computers or mobiles are absolutely integrated in our lives. I use them for work, for study, for read, for watch movies and series, for talk to my friends and family… So the question should be, what don’t I use them for? So, the advantages are much more than the disadvantages. We have only to learn to use them reasonably, and to maintain them under control.

1. What would you advise Roger Ridgway to do?
I agree with @Ziortza. Roger should go to a specialist and look for external help to stop his addiction.

2. Do you think that Net addiction is exaggerated? Is it another case of media hype?
I don't think that it is exaggerated. In my case, I am a millenial so I was born in the middle of the digitalization era but I see how my nieces are growing and how they use tablets and other gadgets -with no instructions, and it is a completely new generation where people is always connected. They are also used to have everything immediately, which can create a kind of addiction too.

3. Do we really live in an age of addiction? Can you think of any other so-called addictions that may be an invention of the media?
Netflix has created addictions to series, and videogames are addictive too. I don't think we live in an age of addiction, it's just that technology evolves and people looks for new distractions.

4. Do you use a computer regularly? What do you use it for? Could you live without it? Why/Why not?
I use it at work, and sometimes at home. I think that in every house there must be at least one computer to look for information, or to do some activities. Tablets and phones can do many functions, but a computer works better for some kind of tasks and works, but it is not necessary that every member of the family has its own laptop, in my opinion, it is better to share it.

1. What would you advise Roger Ridgway to do?
In my opinion internet addiction is a really difficult problem to solve for many teenagers nowadays. In fact more and more young people aged between 14 an 20 are spending too much time on the internet.
I advise Roger Ridgway to spend less time surfing the internet and to start doing different things such as go running or go outside with his friends.

2. Do you think that Net addiction is exaggerated? Is it another case of media hype?
No. I don't think that Net addiction is exaggerated because, as described above, unfortunately it's a widespread phenomenon. During the last ten years the advent of social networks has changed the way of life of many people expecially the youngest. We have lost the interaction and relationship between people replacing them with Facebook, Instagram or whatever. So it's not exaggerated and it's truly complicated.

3. Do we really live in an age of addiction? Can you think of any other so-called addictions that may be an invention of the media?
As far as I concern we are without any doubt living in an age of addictions, but no one of them is an invention of the media.

4. Do you use a computer regularly? What do you use it for? Could you live without it? Why/Why not?
I use my personal computer almost every day, but only for work or study. I really don't like social network or something like that and I don't use them. Of course I can live without computer because I am interested in many others activities such as sport, fitness, reading books, go for a walk with my wife and my daughter and so on.

1. What would you advise Roger Ridgway to do?
I think that Roger Ridgway should go to a specialist in order to solve his internet addiction. Is a pity that a 19 years old person is living the best years of his life behind a screen, in a parallel world.

2. Do you think that Net addiction is exaggerated? Is it another case of media hype?
I don't think that net addiction is exaggerated, It's everywhere, queuing, in any waiting room, in a restaurant, having coffee...people are connected to the net everytime.

3. Do we really live in an age of addiction? Can you think of any other so-called addictions that may be an invention of the media?
I'm sure that we are living in an age addiction. There are many other addictions but I don't think that are a media's invention anyway.

4. Do you use a computer regularly? What do you use it for? Could you live without it? Why/Why not?
Of course, I use the computer everyday but I use it for work, for doing online courses,for searching information... I think I could live without a computer on holidays but I couldn't live without internet in my daily activities.