Part 1.) In the video "Growing up Online" by the directors Rachel Dritzen and John Maggio, which aired on Frontline, is based on reasons that the internet is affecting the younger generations. The main idea of this video is that parents are unaware of what their children are doing on their computers or phones and that the parents do not understand how to use these modern technologies as well as their kids do. Parry Aftab the executive producer of WiredSafety.org states "Everyone is panicking about sexual predators online. That's what parents are afraid of; that's what parents are paying attention to"(PBS Par 10). It has been brought to our attention also "My parents don't understand that I've spent pretty much since second grade online, I know what to avoid" states one ninth-grader (Par. 9). Adults, who have less time on the internet than the average kid, do not understand what kids are doing online and don’t know if the kids know what is ok and what is not ok to be looking at. What adults don't understand is that the internet has more issues than just preditors. At the same time though some students and or kids engage in behavior that isn't quite accepted and then post these things on sites such as Youtube so everyone else can see what they have done. A mother herself, Evan Skinner, knows these things are happening and tries to stay involved in her kid’s lives as much as she can. But at the same time we learn from her son Cam that going too far into this can in turn lead to less of a relationship. Cam a high school student was participating in going to a concert and they were traveling on the train. They were being rude and were partaking in drinking alcohol and just not doing smart things. They had posted the videos on an internet source and it didn't take long for Evan Skinner, Cams mother, to find it. She then wrote a letter to the whole student bodies parents and it really compromised the two of theirs relationship. Cams friends didn't trust him after this and lost a lot of them due to this action his mother took. Evan Skinner says "I remember being 11; I remember being 13; I remember being 16, and I remember having secrets, but it's really hard when it's the other side"(Par. 6) I will admit there is much bad on the internet and it can really persuade people to do for lack of better words stupid things. There is a lot of good that comes along with the internet and I just think the best thing we can do as a Nation is to educate the children better on what is good and bad on the internet and try to keep close to what they are doing but at the same time not to close. It sounds so easy but it really takes a lot to find that medium ground and it’s really what is needed to make sure our children are truly staying safe on the internet.
Part 2) Internet has had very little change in my life because I have been on the computer since I knew what computers are. Every day I talk to people via Facebook and Myspace. The internet is becoming my source of communication more than it use to be, but the internet has always been a form of communication in my life. One thing that is changing in my life due to the internet is my access to videos. Since Youtube has become easier, and more widely use, I can search for videos related to anything that I need. It doesn’t matter if it is a music video, a song being covered, a motorcycle video or even a how-to video.