COMP 2903 A36 - In Korea, a Boot Camp Cure fro Web Obsession Danny Silver JSOCS, Acadia University

Martin Fackler The New York Times, November 18, 2007

Boot camp for the Obsessed Imagine 12 days of: – No computers, 1 hour of cell phone per day – Drill instructors, physical exercise – Obstacle courses, group activities – House durties – Counseling sessions – Pottery and drumming therapy Jump Up Internet Rescue School – Camp for cyberspace addiction

Do you know anyone who is obsessed with IT? Try an Internet Addiction TestInternet Addiction Test Here is anotheranother And there are several others on the web. So let’s try and experiment … mpetition/TeamStandings mpetition/TeamStandings

South Korea most wired nation on earth 90% of homes connect to high-speed Internet Online gaming is a professional sport “PC Bang” social life … Has led to compulsive Internet use as being seen as a mental health issue – Students skip school – People have dropped dead from exhaustion after playing games for days – Up to 30% (2.4 M) of under 18 are at risk

South Korea most wired nation on earth Addressing the problem: – 140 internet-addiction counseling centres – Treatment programs at all hospitals – Internet Rescue Camp (started summer 2007) – First International Symposium on Internet Addiction – Sept, 2007

A Growing Problem Other countries are now having to deal with IA – China and Taiwan – USA - 9 M may be at risk – Canada