This isn’t a story about gadgets or technology, but rather, how technology can have unforeseen consequences on our society. Case in point? The Internet. No one can argue the incredible role the Internet has played in our society today. From email to chat rooms to web sites to virtual worlds, the Internet is becoming a part of the fabric of our society. However, there’s a hidden darkness to the Internet too – an individual’s addiction to cyberspace. This problem is perhaps most prevalent in South Korea where ninety percent of the homes are wired to the Internet through cheap high speed broadband services. South Korea is indeed probably the most wired country in the world and as a result, suffers from compulsive Internet use.

As a result, the country has created what is quite possibly the world’s first camp to address Internet addiction called the Jump Up Internet Rescue School. The camp is located about an hour south of Seoul and is designed to treat the most serious of cases. What makes this camp even more incredible is the fact that the South Korean government pays for it all – making it tuition-free for the individuals that come here. Wonder what life is like at this camp? Here’s an excerpt from an article about the camp over at the NY Times:

During a session, participants live at the camp, where they are denied computer use and allowed only one hour of cellphone calls a day, to prevent them from playing online games via the phone. They also follow a rigorous regimen of physical exercise and group activities, like horseback riding, aimed at building emotional connections to the real world and weakening those with the virtual one.

While there are certainly some that may question whether Internet addiction is real or not, one thing is clear – there are more and more cases of individuals (especially males) who will spend hours on end a day on the Internet. Addiction comes in many forms and is often extremely subtle in appearance. Cheers to the South Korean gov’t for recognizing that they need to do something about the downsides of being a connected society.

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