Growing Up Online

It is the teenage generation today that has traveled in the footsteps of a rapidly changing technology branch. As babies we were automatically introduced to the color television and as we grew through our childhood years we were exposed to the good life, full of high tech products. It is our generation that has never had to live a day without a refrigerator, shower, or car. I guess that you could just say that we have been pretty lucky and that the generations to come should get off even easier.

One of the main technology inventions that have really changed our lives was the computer. Not only the computer, but the laptop, internet, high-speed Wifi, and the webcam have also really impacted our lives. No longer are we limited to the phone for communicating with friends. All we have to do is jump on the computer and head to Facebook, where we can talk to hundreds of people all at once.

We are digitally connected to millions of people through the use of computers; and we often fail to realize that this is a huge change for the generations ahead of us. Parents often find themselves confused with the concepts of searching the web and being able to find personal information of almost anyone. However, they too are learning how to run these computers and their products and are, in the same way, becoming addicted to their uses. Along with the amazing wonders of being able to connect to multiple sites within seconds, there are many dangers that face teenagers while online.

As our generation has grown up online we have been exposed to various dangers that were not at all present before the use of the computer. Children get kidnapped, raped, and abused through the use of the internet by mistakenly letting out a little bit too much information to the wrong person. Teenagers often become friends with older strangers and find themselves regretting their actions after loosing their virginity to them. Others are encouraged by unknown people to hurt themselves in order to relieve their pain. All of these instances have hurt kids and it is all to thank from us growing up online.

We have grown to not know what the truth is and what is slightly twisted to sound more appealing or interesting. The internet really follows this idea, completely distorting the line between fake and real. While searching the web we will find facts, stories, and pictures that are inappropriate and often unreal. This is another consequence that we have to live up to because of our exposure to computers. In the future more and more developments will be made among computers and their products, but in order to save our young generations we must find a way to protect them first, before it is too late.