The internet is an informational tool and also a way to spend countless hours leveling up, role playing and spending money on the latest games. While America is behind on internet addiction studies, Asian countries like China and South Korea are tackling the issue head on. In China technology boot-camps exist to ween pre-teen and teenage boys (mostly) from the web. In harsh conditions, the kids will either make progress or forever become distrustful of their parents who send them to "The Internet Addiction Treatment Center" in Daxing, a Beijing suburb.

A short New York Times documentary called Web Junkies highlights the day-to-day life these kids can expect to look forward to in the foreseeable future. Filmmakers Shosh Shlam and Hilla Medalia break up the cinematography with informative text slides. One of those slides reads, "Treatment at this center includes a mix of therapy and military drills. It often lasts three to four months." During that time period, if they are caught using an internet capable device there are various punishments that range in severity. They also cannot see their parents and have to resort to writing old fashioned letters with ruled paper and pens.

The kids even are under the control of so-called drillmasters. Their jobs are to whip the kids into decent physical shape and get them thinking a little bit more about the real world. If they are taking the internet away from these guys, won't they long for connectivity? One boy tried to run away, but he was dragged back into the compound.

The cinematography beautifully illustrates the plight of these children, along with their parents. You can see the emotion in their faces. They don't think they've done anything wrong, or even out of the ordinary, in this ever increasing world. The children sleep in gritty barracks that resemble a Soviet Union era gulag. It's a summer camp minus the fun.

But is such a treatment center really going overboard? After all, how can playing EVE Online or Everquest II be addicting? It's been widely reported that children and grown men have died after binge playing online video games at Southeast Asian internet cafes. Even in America, children are relying on technology more and more while their waistlines continually expand.

One of the program administrator's had a lot to say about these kids.

"Normal people can't imagine how these teenagers in our center use the Internet." He continued by saying that, "Some kids are so hooked on these games ... They think taking a restroom break will affect their performance at these games."

And no, the kids do not hold it in. The administrator perhaps shares too much information when he adds, "So they wear a diaper."

Do you know someone with an internet addiction? How does unplugging affect their daily lives? Let us know in the comments section below.