'Frontline' on 'Growing Up Online'

When PBS's Frontline reported on "Growing Up Online" this week, it called the gulf between kids who grew up with technology and their parents "the greatest generation gap since rock 'n' roll." That's a bitter pill to swallow for adults in their '30s and '40s who have been involved in computers for 20-plus years, but I have to say I agree with their assessment. Maybe we kicked it old school with Pong and the Atari 2600. Or we had a Commodore 64 or a Macintosh with a whopping 512K of memory. We may have even written code since we were teens ourselves, but that's nothing compared to growing up with ubiquitous access to cell phones, media, and social networking.

Producer Caitlin McNally describes this shift in thinking that exists even between her, as a twentysomething, and the teens she interviewed:

Despite the research we did, I don't think I was prepared when we started talking to kids for the extent to which the Internet and other electronic communication has permeated all aspects of being a teenager. Almost every kid expressed the utter importance of being connected with friends all the time and how unthinkable a life without that connection would be. I think a lot of kids were bemused by our list of questions about 'life online,' because they don't sit around thinking about the Internet in their lives. It's just there, always, another tool for them to use or place for them to go.

Growing Up Online covers a wide range of issues including online safety, with an emphasis on cyberbulling, but for me the most mindblowing concept is thinking about teens living their lives so publicly. Teenagers have always tried on new identities, and had secrets, but now they can continuously share their secrets with everyone in the world but their parents if they wish. (Listen to producer Rachel Dretzin discuss kids trying out new identities online with Erin Martin Kane on her Manic Mommies podcast.)

The hour-long Frontline program is must-see TV for parents, and also very valuable for those younger "digital natives" who wonder what we are so concerned about. There are no easy answers provided but plenty of meaty and even heart-wrenching issues brought up. If you are a parent, I can just about guarantee that your head will be spinning after watching the program, no matter how much you already know about these issues. The Frontline Web site provides a great deal of additional material and resources to help propel the discussion forward on an ongoing basis.

[AmyStrecker]

I agree that Frontline did to a good job on conveying just how deeply technology is embedded in the lives of teens. Today I did four presentations at a local high school about cyberbullying and used Ryan Halligan's story on Frontline as one of the clips. The students were quite moved by his tragic story and it was a good talking point about the power of words.

I've also written about the show here: http://mindoh.wordpress.com/2008/01/23/be-afraid-be-very-afraid-take-two/

[mojomom]

Thanks for adding your perspective, Amy. I enjoyed your blog post. The story of Ryan Halligan's suicide was scary on many levels. First, as a reminder that in the "old days" if you were bullied at school, as bad as that was, maybe you were at least safe at home, but with cyberbullying it can happen 24 hours a day, and leaves you wondering who you can really trust (Is this being done my my worst enemy or my 'best friend' in disguise?). Second, the story of how Ryan befriended another suicidal teen and they encouraged each other over IM (encouraged Ryan to go through with the suicide) was awful. And I could not believe the "personality quiz" that someone had made that tells you which method you should use to commit suicide. Teens are looking for places to pour out their hearts, share their angst, and the internet can lead into some very unhelpfully dark corners.

[kl-root]

I did not see the Frontline report but would like to know where the teens interviewed live. Are they urban suburban rural ? Are these teens a majority? I Live in a more rural area and many teens here do not have continuous access to the internet or cell phones.

[mojomom]

Hi everyone, I just wanted to make it really clear that you can watch the full "Growing Up Online" program on the Frontline website.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/

[Martha Z]

I saw the Frontline documentary and it showed how scary these social Internet gatherings are for teens. One girl belonged to a group that was for Anorexic Women. The young girl mentioned she belonged to it because the members were like her and did not judge her and accepted her anorexia and even praised her for being anorexic. She claimed that it was the only place where she could be herself and not be judged... They even had the Anorexia Goddess to worship! It is scary to have sites that encourage young people to do things that will hurt them emotionally and or physically. Of course there are other sights that support teenagers and are good for them to belong to. I suggest there be a law that obligates website hosting companies to ban or not host sites that encourage criminal or fatal actions to be posted online.

http://WomenOnGuard.com