The Internet Parent Generation

In “What’s the Matter with Kids Today?” article, the author points out how a research organization found the young generation to be ignorant in history and literature. Teenagers like to spend more time in front of the computer chatting with friends than reading a book. Although she admits, that the popularity of social networking has generated new and creative writers within our teens. The author further suggests that the older generation should not consider the Internet as a “villain” but a medium that can create award-winning writers someday.

New technologies can be highly influential to the young generation today, but we, the older generation, can be responsible adults and guide these kids so that they will make use of these technologies to their advances and improve themselves, and not otherwise.

I agree with Amy Goldwasser for the most part of her article especially when she says that, “the Internet has turned teenagers into honest documentarians of their own lives, they are reporters embedded in their homes, school and own heads.” Although these kids spend so much time on the Internet, we tend to overlook how getting online has enhanced their ability to write and express themselves. Many of these teens have discovered their abilities in writing because of this medium. Before, one of the teachers’ concerns was the students’ lost of interest in writing. However, when social networking became popular, they become willing to write.

According to Northwestern University Professor of Communication Studies, Justine Cassell, “There’s a clear evidence that writing and creating art, music and videos on the social internet is building literacy and creative skills in today’s teens” (Clemmitt). Evidently, the Internet has a positive...

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...n and Safe Eyes.

Parents should also talk to their kids about the benefits and risks of Internet and help them to keep safe online. Tell them not to give out their personal information and discuss the danger this can bring them. We have to teach them the right ethics on using this technology as well, because in some cases there are those who use the Internet to harm, to threaten, to deceive and commit crimes. Cyberbullying had caused many lives already therefore, we need to know if our kids are already victims or perpetrators of this crime.

As parents, we need to be proactive in our kids’ Internet life, and interact positively. Apparently, we can help make our kids safe and responsible online, and for them not to be tagged as “ignorant” anymore. “We are the first generation of internet parents” says Cassell, “we need to learn how our job has changed”(Clemmitt).