A generation of children risks growing up with obsessive personalities, poor self-control, short attention spans and little empathy because of an addiction to social networking websites such as Twitter, a leading neuroscientist has warned.

Baroness Greenfield quoted figures showing that more than half of 13- to 17-year-olds now spend more than 30 hours a week using video games, computers, e-readers, mobile phones and other screen-based technology.  She said the human brain evolved to its surroundings and needed a “stimulating environment” to grow and properly develop.  But she warned that a reliance on social networking and increased use of computer games could effectively “rewire” the brain.

via Twitter and Facebook ‘harming children’s development’ – Telegraph.