Experts: Facebook may cause depression in some children and teens

The social media network Facebook is designed to bring people together and help them to stay in touch through updates. However, many experts are beginning to find that this particular website may be causing depression in some children, The Associated Press reports.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently drafted social media guidelines to help doctors encourage parent involvement and to be awareness of Facebook depression, cyberbullying, sexting and other online risks.

“It is like a big popularity contest - who can get the most friend requests or get the most pictures tagged,” Abby Abolt, a Chicago high school student, told the news source.

Other students said that it is common for some teens to even post judgemental and rude remarks on the Facebook walls of those who they do not like. This form of harassment, called cyberbullying, is sweeping the country. It has become so prevalent that schools are readjusting their policies in order to include online verbal abuse.

A 2009 study conducted by the Cyberbullying Research Center shows that a total of 7.5 percent of students reported being bullied online that year.