Growing Up Online

Teenagers today are addicted to their online status, as shown in the video “Growing Up Online” by Rachel Dretizin and John Maggio. In the video many teenagers are interviewed at Chatman High School, all of them saying that they use the internet in some way out of school. Whether it is through Myspace, Facebook, YouTube, Google Sparknotes, or for anything they need to know. Some even using it to chat with others, that they don’t even know, about serious problems that they have. Ryan Halligan was suicidal, his parents had no idea, he was always happy and normal at home. But at school and online he was a totally different person. He was getting verbally abused on online chat. Ryan started to go on suicidal websites and chat rooms. Where he found others with the same problem, who supported him in the wrong way. Finally one day Ryan decided there was no hope and he hung himself.
Parents really start to wonder if the internet is a safe place for teenagers. The video demonstrates how teens can change their identities through the net, and also post inappropriate things that could be dangerous to themselves. A concerned parent states “[i]f it’s on the net its open to anyone,” she fears predators and stalkers might find her son or daughter.