Growing Up Online

In the documentary “Growing Up Online” by the directors Rachel Dretzin and John Maggio they show a relationship between the internet and how it has impacted teenagers around the world. In the documentary the teenagers explain what types of internet programs they are usually on. Many said they used Myspace, YouTube, and Facebook to express themselves in ways other people wouldn’t understand. The teens explain that what they show online they can easily hide from their parents. Jess for example wanted to be the opposite of what people saw. Online she found that freedom by expressing herself on Myspace. She was now represented as the goth artist she always wanted to become. She even gave herself a new name to use on the internet named Autumn Edo’s. She was the girl she always wanted to become and not even her parents knew about it. In the end her parents found her half nude pictures posted on the internet and confronted her about, and they finally agreed that what she was doing was just self expressing and started supporting her. In another part of the documentary teachers express their concerns about the internet and how it’s effecting the teen’s learning in and outside the classroom. They found that many students were using “Spark Notes” instead of actually reading the book and learning the information. Some teachers tried to put a stop to using the internet in class all together but found that even if it’s not used during class they can always go home and use it then. Some parents have even went far enough to try and get passwords out of their children to check what they have been up to. The internet has impacted many teenagers in good and bad ways. My life has changed a lot since the internet has arrived. I have learned new things and have been able to express myself in so many ways without being judged. There are something’s the internet should not be used for such as for cheating or copy write. I remember many times where my teachers in grade school would ask me to check for our grades online or for certain projects we need to accomplish online. Ever since I started using the internet I could not see my life without it.