Bryan Bellingar
Eng 100b
Reading response #4

In Growing Up Online, the producers Frontline constructs a documentary of how the internet has changed the lives of millions of children and teens. It takes you into the lives of a hand full of teenagers and how much their lives are influenced by the internet. For instance it takes you through how schools now are trying to become more technical and do more classroom activities and homework over computers and the internet because it’s a major part in the student’s life. And it makes it easier for teachers to get them to contribute in class instead of past techniques of pencil and paper. Also Frontline interviews a few teens where they admit they are so addicted to it that they spend almost most of their time online talking with friends over social programs like Facebook and Myspace. They teens like this boy they interviewed said, “you need to have the internet on to talk to your friends because everyone uses it” and another boy said “it’s just addicting, and I can go on for hours”. By just these two boys admitting these statements it shows the viewers and the world just how intensely connected the lives youth of the world today are depended on it. They don’t use the past ways of walking over a friend’s house and talking face to face to ask what they are doing, or are you free today. Instead they just have to jump on the internet and send text. Also through the documentary they find out through the interviews that the youth find it as an escape from reality, were they can truly be themselves. One girl for example says to the interview,” when I am online I am completely 100% me”, and in away it’s a place where they don’t have to be afraid of the public eye of your community and even more your parents. Because over the internet you are always accepted for who are or make yourself out to be and can also escape from your parents. This is a major part of why the youth are fond of it, because they can hide personal information or even greater give personal information out.
After watching this interview I have the same feelings as those being interviewed because my life is impacted by the use on the internet as well. I share those same feelings of falling under its trance. It is easy for me as well to get distracted by the internet and spend hours talking to friends, watching videos, playing games and searching for sell ads. In addition it is very comforting to know as a youth to be able to do these acts under your parents watching eye without them know fully what you’re doing. Because they might see the computer screen and see one thing but they doing really see the full extent of things. For example over Facebook you can see millions of people’s information and pictures as well as put your own photos and personal information. As a result of this, I believe and support the idea of the internet becoming a huge new society for youth and adults even.