In the time it will take you to read this sentence 684,478 contents will be shared on Facebook, 100,000 people will tweet, hundreds of thousands more will "like" a photo on Instagram... and this is if you read very quickly (Marrouat).In this age, the Internet is used for everything from socialization to education. For these purposes the Internet presents numerous advantages; anyone with a computer with Internet access can find that information, and anyone with a connection can add to it, making the Internet the collected knowledge of millions of people. Perhaps the most popular use of the Internet, however, is as a socialization tool. From forums where people gather to talk about the same interests, to Facebook where people socialize with friends and acquaintances, the Internet has revolutionized the way we interact with people. Because of this addiction to the Internet, our relationships with other people are weakened, according to Clifford Stoll, because human relationships rely on face-to-face interaction for creativity and maintenance. In “Isolated from the Internet,” Stoll explores some of the effects this shift from primarily face-to-face interaction to text-based interaction has on people's emotions. Stoll puts forward his theory: “The vast majority of online friendships are simply not deep. One participant 'appreciated the email correspondence she had with her college-age daughter, but noted that when her daughter was homesick or depressed, she resorted to phone calls to provide support'” (Stoll 650). Stoll expresses the idea that, although the Internet is useful for regular communication with all types of people, it cannot replace phone calls or face-to-face interaction in building relationships and pro... medium of paper... people a preliminary relationship is necessary for the Internet to prove useful, because the lack of personal interaction on the Internet creates an almost insurmountable barrier. Works Cited Akst, Daniel. "America: land of loners?" Wilson Quarterly 34.3 (2010): 25-27. Premier of academic research. Network. 13 February 2012. Disalvo, David. “Are social networks messing with your head?” Scientific American Mind 20.7 (2010): 48-55. Premier of academic research. Network. February 13, 2012. Fisher, Richard. "Don't unfriend me." New Scientist 207.2768 (2010): 02. Premier academic research. Network. 14 February 2012. Marrouat, Cendrine. “The Impact of Social Media on Society (infographic).” Social media slant. Np, July 29, 2013. Web. March 31, 2014. Stoll, Clifford. "Isolated from the Internet." Mindreading: An Anthology for Writers. Ed. Gary Colombo. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin, 2002. 648-654. Press.