While common criticisms of Internet use include opinions that it is addicting and digital natives are growing up in such a way that they are losing valuable cognitive and social skills, little scientific research has been done to substantiate or discredit these types of claims. This dissertation offers a theoretical model for how Internet use may interplay with adolescent brain development. The model relies upon findings in video game and Internet Addiction Disorder literature, and what is currently known about addiction and adolescent brain development. An argument is made that the Internet does have the potential to be addicting, but that most Internet users would not meet clinical criteria for an addiction. Rather, a large set of users may have sub-clinical yet problematic Internet use and that adolescents are particularly vulnerable to problematic Internet use and its effects. Given this vulnerability of adolescents and the plastic nature of the brain, this author recommends that more research be done on the impact of sub-clinical problematic Internet use on adolescent brain development and provides suggestions for future research studies.