Growing Up ONline

Teenagers during this generation solely rely on the Internet in ways of communication and help in everyday life. With technology on the rise, more teens are becoming dependent on computers and cell phones. Parents that were interviewed in the video present themselves as being very distant from their children. We get their outlooks on how technology has created turmoil. Children in this day and age really do not know how to communicate over the phone or face to face because of their dependence to the Internet. Although the Internet can provide a faster and easier way of communication, it can also have detrimental effects to teens. One parent spoke about his son Ryan’s suicide and how the Internet contributed to it. Many other teens like Ryan have experienced cyber-bullying and have taken their own lives because of it. Before the Internet was around, when a teen was bullied at school they could have a safe haven at home. But in today’s era, a teen cannot go home and feel safe because the bullying can continue in their own home over the Internet. So if a teen cannot feel safe in their own home where else can they feel secure? This can ultimately lead to a teen committing suicide.                                                                                  

 However, one teen in the video used MySpace as an escape from reality. She created and used a new name and actually felt comfortable with who she was on the Internet. She stated that she was bullied and using MySpace made her become the person she wanted everyone to view her as. She posted pictures which were viewed as pornographic in nature by her high school principal and her parents made her delete all of them. Her parents initially did not accept her actions on MySpace but later on in the video they stated that they understood why she did it and that they accepted it as a part of who she is.                        

The Internet has both positive and negative aspects. In my opinion, teens in present day society have way too much dependence on technology. We cannot live without our phones or computers because this is how our era has taught us to be like. As each decade goes by, technology become more and more intertwined in our everyday life. If we took away all phones, computers and every other piece of technology we rely upon, many people would feel completely lost.