Growing Up Online

As a part of the generation described in this documentary, I can understand very much what the directors were addressing when they worked on this piece. Technology, namely the internet has without a doubt created a generational gap, leaving the older generations of people feeling obsolete, irrelevant, and inevitably, out-of-the-loop.

For those who have grown up using the internet, its functions seem to be second nature. It is hard for these individuals to imagine a world where they are unable to log on and explore the world, from the convenience of their own bedroom. A raised awareness of online predators and scams creates an environment that understandably leaves many parents concerned about this openness that the internet is offering to their children.

In this documentary, the parents' overbearing nature caused their children to live vicariously through secret online alter-egos. A prime example of this is teenager Jessica Hunter, or she prefers to call herself, Autumn Edows. Although she was a timid, soft spoken girl around her family and peers, through her online persona she gained a new sense of confidence and began posting racy images of herself. Needless to say, Jessica made sure to keep her secret identity just that - secret.

Another example provided in the documentary of a secret lifestyle was that of Ryan. Without his parents' knowledge, Ryan was able to become a part of an online community of youngsters encouraging each other and giving tips on how to commit suicide. Unfortunately for Ryan, his parents were unable to find out about his cyber activities until it was too late.

While many cases such as these two exist in today's online world, it is important to keep everything in perspective. Yes, these were very BIG instances for the parents, especially those in the latter case. However, what this documentary fails to mention is that a majority of young adults and children using the internet are not using it to post provocative photos or plan their death. Many individuals of the younger generation are using the internet simply to communicate with friends (and occasionally find the easy way out of doing homework assignments).

In the modern era, technology and the internet are inescapable aspects of life. Rather than monitor a child's every move (which is in fact impossible, but I digress), parents who are truly concerned should teach their children at a young age the basic do's and don't of the internet. From there, the cyber world is not much different than the real world - all you can do is trust that your children will do the right thing.