Text Messaging is it harming our students writing?

A recent article in the Baltimore Sun begs the question is texting harming our student's ability to write? Many English teachers can relate to grading papers with LOL, BFF, OMG, L8R and other abbreviations included throughout the papers. I cringed a few years ago while grading my sixth graders bookreports that were laden with mistakes. However, then I had a thought... What if we are on the edge of a new language emerging. Soon these abbreviations will creep into the dictionary and into our everyday language. They are already appearing in commercial advertisements (ADS). Perhaps one day they will become everyday language and acceptable in writing. Just a thought! Once I am sure it was terribly improper to say Ad instead of advertisement but or TV instead of television. Just as the thee and thou's have gone by the wayside perhaps someday so will our expanded form of writing as texting and email become more commonplace. Just a thought...