Online+Safety

= Growing Up Online  =

You have basically grown up online. You probably don't remember living without a computer! Remember to stay safe on the Internet - You never know who may find you!

Internet in the Home
Frontline: Growing Up Online (0:00 - 7:35) Living Their Lives Essentially Online

Discussion Questions: 1. At home, how often are you online? At school how often are you online? What percentage of the time do you think you spend:
 * Doing homework?
 * Chatting with friends?
 * Updating your profile?
 * Playing games?
 * Surfing/looking up stuff you're interested in?
 * Downloading music?
 * Uploading/downloading videos?

2. A survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that in 2004, 67% of parents said the Internet has been a good thing for their children. However, this number decreased to 59% in 2006. Why do you think the number of parents who reported the Internet being a good thing for their children has decreased?

3. In the introduction to the program, the narrator says: "This is Morris County, N.J., but it could be anywhere in America. Here, like in the rest of the country, some 90% of teenagers are online, a number that's still growing." From what you saw in the film, is Morris Country indicative of a typical American community? Why or why not? Is it like our community?

Social Networking - Keeping in Touch
Frontline: Growing Up Online (7:36 - 16:39) A Revolution in Classrooms and Social Life

Discussion Questions: 1. One student claims he "never reads books" but relies on summaries and notes he finds on Web sites. He confesses that he feels guilty about this, stating, "I feel like I kind of cheated it." Should he feel guilty? Why or why not?

2. Social networking sites can be used as a way to "talk junk," insult others or hash out conflicts. Is fighting online a relatively safe way to express negative emotions in responding to others (without having to deal with them face-to-face)? Or does online fighting do more harm than good?

3. This segment talked about a video of girls fighting being posted to YouTube. Pretend a fight from our school was posted. How would the following people perceive the video:
 * People fighting in the video
 * Other students in school
 * Teachers and administrators at school
 * Parents of the people fighting
 * Law enforcement
 * Teens from outside of school who view the video

Identity Play
Frontline: Growing Up Online (16:40 - 23:57) (Audio Only) Self Expression, Trying on New Identities

Discussion Questions: 1. When you are online can you be more real and authentic (who you really are) or do you enjoy feeling like you're someone else (like Autumn)?

2. When you post information online, you generally have an intended audience you are communicating with. Who are other potential audiences that might be viewing your information that you didn't think of?

3. Do you think it is easier to stereotype people online than in real life? Why or why not?

Online Relationships - Healthy or Unhealthy
Fontline: Growing Up Online (30:31 - 48:20) Private Worlds Outside Parents' Reach Cyberbullying

Discussion Questions: 1. Teens turn to the Internet to find out information about all sorts of things. In Sara's case, she found tips that supported and praised anorexic behavior by browsing and chatting on "ana" sites. After experienceing online and offline bulleying, Ryan chatted with a friend about killing himself and learned about various ways to commit suicide. Why might someone be attracted to dangerous or unhealthy communication and Web sites with dangerous information? Why might someone want to create such sites?

2. Teasing, lying, gossiping, threatening, spreading rumors or harassing online (and offline) can severly affect people's self-concept and self-esteem and have an impact on their emotional state. In the program, we see a girl who describes flirting with boys and then revealing she was just kidding. She explains: "You wouldn't do that to someone's face, but online is completely different... No one can do anything. You're at your house, they're at their house." What are some of the consequence of this behavior of life and online and in the real world?

Post-Viewing
Frontline: Growing Up Online (48:21 -56:29) Updates

Discussion Questions: 1. At the end of the program, Greg decides its's time for him to "disconnect" by going to the Coast Guard Academy, where he will spend seven weeks without cell phones or the Internet. Have you ever though about "disconnecting" from it all? Do you think it would be easy or difficult? What wold you enjoy or dislike about disconnecting?