Growing Up Online

16 things that are surprising

• Adults are scared of technology
• Teacher feels threatened by SparkNotes
• Only a few years ago, Facebook and Myspace combined ONLY had 160 million people, and that has grown a lot
• Only one major study has been made on sexual predators online
• As early as 2003, there was cyberbullying
• That people ever thought gaining friends online was a goal, since the internet is so vast
• The carelessness people had on the internet such as posting suggestive pictures
• That the school principal would get involved in a teen's online life, if it didn't affect the school 
• That Jess would ease into her online life connected to her normal one as easily
• That Jess' parents would make her delete EVERYTHING
• That Cam's mom is so nosy in his online life
• That Cam's mom found out about the Madison Square Garden Activities
• That Cam's mom sent everyone the files, as if they weren't openly available or as if she was some kind of watchdog
• That in the end, Cam didn't share his personal things, and that his mom didn't push him, her being so nosy
• The ignorance some of the parents still have about the internet, even while appearing in a film about it 
• The vision of the "Wild Frontier" these adults have, since there are internet laws that are very strictly enforced, anyways
• How the internet is seen as a kind of "rock n roll", which makes a large gap between the generations

15 things that are not surprising 

• Adults think the only way to reach teens is through technology
• More teens have problems with attention
• Many teens read summaries online
• People take a different identity online
• Media coverage on sexual predators has grown
• 1 in 7 teens have been sexually requested online
• There are many different niches online 
• Adults feel alienated by the rise of technology
• People can use social media such as Facebook or Myspace to fight out things 
• There is a larger anti-predator movement, with shows such as to catch a predator
• Many teens hide their online life from their parents, because they simply wouldn't understand 
• There are many forums that support destructive thoughts, such as anorexia 
• When people try to contact online personas, they are usually blown off or stalled 
• Cyberbullying seems to be growing, and even normalized in some social circles\
• Parents may come around sometimes, when they see it as something constructive to their children, such as the parents of Jess

15 things that have changed since 2008

• People used MySpace
• People had old phones
• Teachers weren't sure how to control sparknotes
• Youtube layout has changed a lot, and the videos are better quality
• People who write books like "MySpace Unraveled" 
• People don't know how to use email
• There is more knowledge among parents
• There seems to be a larger sense of privacy among parents, though still many are ignorant
• There seems to be a calming over the internet, since people know what it is now
• There is a lot more humility on the internet 
• People seem to laugh at these 2008 people who really did think the internet was a "Wild Frontier", when really it still has many limitations
• People seem to be a lot more educated about predators, and they are seen as something to be joked about now, and not taken seriously 
• There seems to be a larger activism against cyberbulling
• There seems to be more awareness about suicide and anorexia online, and also prevention campaigns
• There are definitely more social networking options now, and Facebook is competing, though still on top

Paragraph

1. I identified most strongly with the part about parents controlling your activity on the internet. In recent times, because of me getting in trouble with things, my parents have been trying to control my internet use immensely. It's a big change for me, and definitely annoying. Their ignorance is also overwhelming, but not as much as their paranoia. Cam's mom, for example, seems terrible and I feel like she is something that my parents could be.

2. I don't think I've ever been threatened by predators. There just seriously hasn't been pedophiles that have approached me and that I have felt in danger. Sure, I have encountered some online. To be honest, I think this video is very good in terms of showing reality. However, I find the concern overblown. I just think there might have been a different situation in 2008.

3. Being online makes me feel connected. Soon, my girlfriend is leaving and the internet is the only reason I can talk to her. I also moved only a year ago, but the internet has made me still stay in contact with my friends. Plus, its really entertaining, and although I wouldn't express my personality in ways like Autumn, its true that on the internet you can talk about anything. On the internet, people aren't judgmental and there's a sense of security. You can find people with common interests. You can be whoever you want to be.