Frontline was very interesting. We're age where we are not removed from this mass online culture. The internet has very much become this "public private life". I think that is such a great way title to sum up what the internet has become for people our age and younger.
Agreed, that without technology, so many advances would not have occurred, but the unlimited accessibility to the use of the internet is dangerous. With the development of social networking, it is so simple to connect with your friends and express yourself freely. I too have become a victim of the social networking addiction. First, it was Xanga. Then, Myspace, soon followed by Facebook. On these sites, (including Youtube which does this through video) we feel we are allowed to be who we are because their are very few regulations and limitations. But without certain boundaries, people have the possibility of getting hurt. In the video, there was a girl who was 14 at the time posting naked pictures on the internet. That's crazy. It could have directly and almost immediately effected her because your are unable to regulate who sees such information, and have no idea what their intent may be. Indirectly, it may go back to haunt you.
"Public Private Life" is exactly what social networking is, especially Facebook.
I find it interesting how everyone ( including myself) has a bunch of these "friends" on facebook who they have never even met, or spoken to. "Friends" on facebook are like pogs back in the 90's- they're collectibles, but they are worthless. People on facebook know this. We've established that facebook interms of what true relationships are are invalid. So why is it such a big deal when your relationship status changes? Or even worse, when you go from " in a relationship" to "single" and the other person finds out on facebook?
It's insulting to break up with someone through facebook, because facebook's not even a real thing but we place so much value in it.
So to publicly do something that is supposed to first private seems like a great offense. In that capacity, social networking is not so private after all, because when someone finds out their partner decided that the relationship is over... so did all their "friends" One of the parents said that they didn't even think that their son knew how reliant they actual are on the Internet. I believe that statement to be true. There are times when I want to search google, but my fingers automatically type in facebook. That my friends, could easily be defined as an addiction.
Growing Up Online shows the way culture is developing. As it was said in the video, reading books have not been as popular, and technology is the new vehicle to educate children. I feel that to be true and that's why the Harry Potter Wars are so important, but that is a different story for a different time.
Good-Bye for now
Trish
