Growing Up Online

“The internet has created the biggest generation gap since the advent of rock-n-roll.”

I’m scared.

Aside from the fact that my sister just turned 13 TODAY, there were moments of this video where I just could not believe what I was hearing. Websites dedicated to the goddess Ana (the “anorexic” goddess), and websites telling you how to best kill yourself… This is not something I’d want anybody, let alone my own family/students to have access to.

However, this is life. Something like this comes along, and we can do nothing but make sure we all know how to use it. A few other people who reviewed this movie discussed how the important part is education, and I wholeheartedly agree. We need to teach kids how to use this scary thing called the internet, and we also need to educate parents! We need to let parents know that the internet is a great resource, and not make it seem like every time a child talks to someone online, they’re going to get attacked.

I also know as a person living in these times that we cannot live without this technology. Have you ever tried to make plans with someone whose cell phone is dead? Yeah, enough said. Makes you wonder how our parents did it.

While the internet seems like a very scary thing, it is very useful in the right hands. Unfortunately, we usually only hear about the terrible because it makes for better news. The first thing I wanted to do after watching the video was delete my Myspace, but I also find the irony that I’m telling you all this somewhat anonymously on my own blog!


The Video:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/
Inspiration:
http://jimbosblog-jimmy.blogspot.com/
http://robjohnson11.blogspot.com/