Sunday, February 17, 2008

The Internet & Our Society


http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/etc/synopsis.html


After reading Frontlines article Growing Up Online, I started to think on how the internet had influenced my childhood. When I was in like six grade I began to log in to chatrooms like ICQ and MIrc to talk with my friends, later on I opened my msn account which I currently use. I think the internet has influenced our childhood not only in social networking but as a tool for gathering information for personal use or school. However, today's generation can be considered an "Internet Generation." For example my younger cousin's, they go to first and second grade and when they have their lunch break they go to the computer lab to log in and chat online or they prefer to play with their gameboys. Even my smallest cousin (11) she has a facebook account and uploads pictures of the activities they do in school. This is kind of incredible for me because I got my first digital camera when I was a junior in highschool. Technology and the internet is something revolving not only adults, but kids as well.
Additionally, there is a section in the article that talks about cyberbulling and how this is affecting young kids who are picked on not only in school but on the web as well.
Parents have to become aware of what their kids are watching and doing online, they have to become involve in all this new trends and social networks in order to know what their kids are up to.

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