There are now efforts afoot to help teens and youth—notoriously comfortable with the Internet and all its many, many social networking sites—become a little more skeptical of them all. At least one pundit believes the most effective way to imbue a little skepticism is by taking a page out of the non-smoking advocate’s playbook: Appeal to a teen’s inherent need for independence.

“They took a page from cigarette companies’ own playbook, tapping into adolescents’ fierce desire for autonomy,” writes Slate‘s Annie Murphy Paul. “Instead of flaunting that independence by smoking, these teen-whisperers suggested, do it by resisting the manipulations of Big Tobacco.”

It’s pretty clear that many social network sites manipulate their users, which naturally rubs against a teen’s rebellious nature and desire for independence. Paul says it’s just as important to teach youth about the dangers of the Internet as tobacco.

“Granted, clicking a link or posting a status update won’t give teenagers lung cancer,” she writes. “But the undisciplined use of technology can waste their time, fragment their focus, and interfere with their learning. Just like their health, young people’s attention is a precious resource, and they should be empowered to resist the companies that would squander it.” (Slate)

Paul Asay has written for The Washington Post, Christianity Today, Beliefnet.com and The (Colorado Springs) Gazette. He writes about culture for PluggedIn and wrote the Batman book God on the Streets of Gotham (Tyndale). He recently collaborated with Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family, on his book The Good Dad. He lives in Colorado Springs with wife, Wendy, and his two children. Follow him on Twitter.