The use of social networking sites is increasing at a rapid rate. According to a report conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project in 2012, ninety-five percent of people between the ages of 12 and 17 use the Internet; and 81% of these use social networking sites (Pew Interest). While it is known that social media can have a helpful impact on lives, people often forget that with a positive also comes a negative. Continued use of social networking sites will impact adolescents' lives more negatively than positively because it can cause enormous distractions from valuable and critical activities such as education; they can also cause mental health problems and reduced communication skills. Social networking sites are often a simple distraction tool that disturbs you when you should be doing homework or studying. Many students believe they are capable of multitasking and completing their work with coherent and logical connections. Dutch psychologist Paul A. Kirschnera of the Center for Learning Sciences and Technologies of the Open University of the Netherlands and Aryn C. Karpinskib of the Ohio State University conducted a study examining 219 US university students. Kirschnera found that Facebook users typically had a rating average of 3.06 while non-users had a rating average of 3.82. Kirschnera says he is not trying to demonize Facebook, but to demonstrate the distracting nature of social networking sites (Daily Mail). Students are unable to complete studies and/or assignments with a cohesive thought because some students limit themselves in completing the work instead of completing it as a whole. In the documentary film Frontline Digital Nation, Rachel Dretzin says the following in front of a small group of s...... middle of paper ......dLine." BBC News. Np, January 8, 2014. Web May 18 2014. Shea, Andrea. “Facebook Envy: How the Social Network Affects Our Self-Esteem.” The Wall Street Journal. Dec. 11, 2011. Web. May 17, 2014. “Student Grades Not Influenced by Social Networks, New Research Finds.” Hampshire, December 23, 2009. Web. May 17, 2014. “Teen Fact Sheet.” Pew Research Centers Internet American Life Project RSS, n.d. Web, May 13, 2014 . Turkle, Sherry. PBS, 22 September 2009. Web, 20 May 2014. .