Growing Up Online

Unfortunately, watching the documentary Growing Up Online, I wasn’t shocked by what I saw. The Internet has such a huge influence on kids and teens today, and many feel as it was clearly shown on the documentary feel, that they couldn’t live without it.

The Internet can be a very useful device whether it used to school, work, or simply enjoyment. Sadly though, many people find ways to use it in a negative way. It’s so sad that people feel they can’t connect with people in their lives and have to depend on the Internet to solve their problems. Why there are sites dedicated to suicide, anorexia, and other destructive behaviors is baffling. Time should be devoted to productive positive things, not negative and cult like activities.

As far as myspace and facebook go, I think many people like it because it allows them to put on an act and be whoever they want for a given period of time, at allows them to escape from reality When people meet one another via myspace, they can do and say whatever they please. In many cases they don’t personally know whom they are messaging, so they will rarely suffer reproductions from what they say.

I have never used the Internet as much as the people in the film did, and I’m hoping they selected a few of the extremes. Some of those addicted to the Internet were in middle school, and they were talking about the different kinds of pictures they take of themselves and posted, it reminded me a little bit of some of the young girls show in the “Merchants of Cool” documentary. The Internet is making people grow up too fast, and in a negative way.

I think it’s ok for young children to be monitored while they use the Internet. If they don’t know what they are doing, they can easily click on the wrong thing and see things they shouldn’t. I also think its ok for older kids to be monitored while using the Internet, but in moderation. The mom in this film however, was way over the top. Her children were in the late years of high school, and entering college. It’s not the moms business to know every little thing they are doing, down to who they talk to on facebook. Today, I know of a lot of parents that have facebooks so they can check up on their kids, I think this is a bit intrusive because they are now seeing their children how their friends see them, and many times seeing a lot of things that kids don’t want to share with their parents.

I liked this documentary, it showed the truth about the Internet and what it’s doing to today’s youth. Sadly, people are becoming way too dependent of  the Internet in a negative, counterproductive way.