Teens Like Blogs
A new survey from the Pew Internet & American Life Project finds that more than half of all teens online have created content for the Internet. (Check out the survey [PDF file])Being a content creator is a relatively dry term that includes posting photos, music or video, making Web pages, and of course, writing blogs.
As with any new-fangled technology, the young types have latched on in a big way: 19% of teens (12-17) have created a blog, compared to just 7% of adults.
So what are these teens doing with their blogs?
According to some recent attention in the media (including a few overheated accounts) they're engaging in risky business (embedded video) -- detailing their sexual exploits ("My kid would never do that!"), talking trash, drinking, drugging, thugging and in general, revealing way too much personal information.
With much wailing and gnashing of teeth, adults are seen crying out: "But what do we do?"
Sure, some of it may be overprotective parenting, but there is a very real threat of sexual predators and pedophiles.
In one famous recent overreaction, a Catholic high school in Sparta, N.J. decided to ban blogging outright -- not just on-campus and during school hours, but totally, on threat of suspension.
As I said in my earlier writeup on the blogging ban: If you know any teens, I'm sure you'll guess how effective this ban is going to be.
Like it or not, blogs & social sites, including MySpace, Facebook and others, are integral part of their lives, and they're having a big influence on the rest of society.
Wired has a feature story right now about MySpace's influence on launching bands, even to the point where MySpace is starting its own record label.
This is not to say that people: parents, politicans, policymakers -- you know, The Man -- won't try to regulate teen blogging. And why wouldn't they?
They're trying to regulate political blogging, by declining to exempt blogs from Federal Election Commission oversight.
Companies are trying to defend against perceived attacks from "digital lynch mobs."
China has just reportedly shut down a pro-democracy blog.
However, all is not lost.
The Internet in general, and blogs as a specific part of it, is a disruptive technology. When you introduce a disruptive technology, things change -- a lot. People, companies, and governments experience pain as they try to adapt. Not everyone can make the adjustment (like in the classic buggy whips example).
As we're discovering, the Internet and blogs are just way too darn useful to ban, because they're just too good at bringing people together in a meaningful way.
Of course, I would be lying if I told you how it was all going to turn out. So I'm going to stop now. But I would love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks -- Joe
72 comments:
i'm a youth leader...i was just thinking the other day that i should get a bunch of the parents to create pages on MySpace...that would definitely detract from the cool-factor. the kids have no shame on those pages...but then, i have very little shame in my blog, so who knows? maybe it's healthy to have a place to release our misbehaviors...
anyway...perhaps if parents were more internet-savvy, their kids wouldn't be so internet-rebellious...it's mostly cool because mom and dad don't get it.
rachael
http://journals.aol.com/rachaelanne21/RAWuncensored
Dear Joe,
Hi! I could not reach the article at MSN about China, so ...I know though that China struggles with these issues because they have to be pro business in a huge way and yet they think that they have to be "non corrupt", which includes going along with the Man even if you think you know a way to get it done better for your group.
I agree with you of course that banning blogging for teens is counter productive and basically dumb...but certainly parents expect the content to be "okay".
natalie
Hi...I fixed the link on the Chinese blogger article -- thanks for the heads-up. -- Joe
Stop teens from bogging??? It's hard to stop teens all the time anyway! And yes, I agree with was it, Rachel? Who ever-I think the parents should educate themselves and get computer stave! And quick. Put a profile on myspace, and as soon as the teen adjusts to the change, he'll be less rebellious. I'm close to my sons' then girlfriend', Kim. And
I'm friendly with a few of his close friends. So the kid's talked me into putting a profile up on myspace! And I finally did. But I wasn't comfortable there, no one cares if they ever correspond with you...and the ones who DO-are weird. And the music is BIG on myspace. I didn't know they were getting a band. ~Diane~
The kids do like to blog. I don't encounter many on Journals though, but the numbers I do encounter seem to be increasing. I don't see a problem with them blogging as long as they are careful. I dunno, I have no idea how I'd react to a teen Journal that was outa control. I guess notify AOL link.
Blogging regulation will fail. I think a lot of groups for various reasons will try regulation and the debate will continue. I'm sure a lot of folks will blog about regulation too!
Good update!
My son started a blog a long time ago and sent me the link. At times he expressed anger toward me in the way of song lyrics and off-hand comments, but for the most part he wrote about his life. It was the only window I had into his life now that I am living so far away. He said some things in the blog that lead to discussions, and I admired his honesty. Eventually I started my blog because of his blog. It was a way to tell my story so that my kids would read it, and they have.
It is very interesting that teens think of email as old-fashioned and communicate so much more through IM........... I cannot believe how much bigger and smaller our world has become all at once.
Thank goodness my kids dragged me kicking and screaming into the computer age years ago:)
judi
Not only would regulating blogs regulate free speech, but additionally, there is a major problem with the education system in this country. Children and teens often don't like to write, or, if they do, they write at a very low level. Whether it is about their life or about a book they read in class, increased writing will increase their abilities to write at a higher level. I know that blogs often contain the same kind of language as instant messenger, such as LOL and OMG, but the writing process is still taking place.
In short, not only do I find it slightly unconstitutional to put bans on blogs, but also, I think blogs are leading to a more well-educated population.
However, this being said, I think that parents need to educate children (and themselves) about what is acceptable in blogs. 1) I am surprised that what teens used to keep private in 'under the pillow diaries', they are now spreading on the Internet. Parents do need to teach their children good privacy guidelines. 2) I have heard of more than one example of people getting fired from their jobs because of inappropriate work comments on the blogs. People should learn what to put and not put on their blogs. Adults should suffer the consequences if their blogs are inappropriate (which, to me, is narrowly defined; I don't think someone should be fired based on political beliefs or something like that), and, I think, children should be taught by their parents what is blogable and what is not. Laws are unnecessary and will stifle the increase in education in this country.
It seems when anything is "invented" for a good reason.. there will be those who misuse or find a way to make it a "bad reason".. there are no real answers to some of the problems that arise ...
Teens always find some way of doing their thing. Banning blogs will go no where.
That is absolutely ridiculous. The government is infringing on teens free speach rights, guarded by the 1st Amendment. Howard Stern I can understand, because some kid can just accidently tune to his radio station. This, however, people have to know the screen name, or take hours to find it. Further, if kids are dumb enough to put their information on there then they are asking for something to happen to them. Lastly, parents should take responsibility for their kids, and take away their computer, cell phone, ect. so they can be putting this stuff out. The government needs to stop regulating our lives!
There will be no stopping of the blog world...that is for sure. Its like trying to stop porn (which I do not believe in, but recognize it won't go away). A friend of mine recently had her blog shot down by her college because she was talking smack about the school and program - not any different from what all the students say out loud. The only reason blogs get punished because it is printable, readable, and provable...unlike the spoken word.
Either way, people will continue without fail - as they always have - in doing what they enjoy. Good luck shutting it down. www.nycbros.blogspot.com
Major issues like the 1st amendment aside, what this boils down to for me is this: Parents, do your job. Did you teach your child to look both ways before crossing the street? Did you tell them not to talk to strangers? Then how about some basic level oversite where you tell them not to post their full name, address and phone number on the internet? If you find out your son or daughter is blogging, read it. If there's questionable content, talk to them about it. Telling a teenager "no" is a sure fire way to get them to do exactly what you don't want them to. Just keep an eye on things, and *gasp* be a parent.
First of all anyone trying to do this obviously have a lot of time on their hands, get a hobbie. Second of all if you don't want children doing it, then the parents should be putting up parental blocks and monitoring at what websites your children are looking at. All I have to say is anyone who is for this obviously have there kids in a bubble, let thm grow up and as i said if this is really a big concern for the parents, watch what your kids are doing online and block these websites.
what ever happened to free speech?
Teens always will manage to get their hands dirty because they are looking to. Makes me laugh when "the man" gets only a partial image of real life and freaks. I don't know about everyone else but what a blog is, is also what goes on at camp, back of the class room, hallway, lunch time, after school. This aint new its just somewhere else. Only real problem is the larger access to personal information which is on the parents shoulders. I am not saying it is parents fault in this case however. From my own view, problems such as these and in many other cases involving problems with teens has to do with "the man" requiring the parents to work endless hours. They come home, either in a bad mood or looking to ignore the world and relax. The man seems to keep seeking means of limiting teens, maybe he should look for more ways to make adult life easier so we can take care of our own.
But thats just what I think.
X~
The MAN will try to regulate anything that generates popularity, period.
I think that if a teens journal gets too detailed that someone should step in. I know when I was first introduced to blogging I was a freshman in college and did it thru Blurty. I let out WAAAAYYY too much information on myself not thinking people who didnt know me actually read it. Turns out my mother found it (how she did I'll never know considering she doesnt like the internet) and I was grounded fora very very very looongg time bc of its content. When I switched to AOL journals I still had a problem but over time I have learned how to edit the stuff to where its a PG 13 rating or somewhere near that.
Felicia
http://journals.aol.com/dragonrose3911/PIT/
Thats soo true, and its sad.... This seems to lie not with an underlying or latent evil in Blogs or blogging but the corruption of the youth of our society today. I know i have a blog, and almost all my friend do. Although no one ever reads mine, i would still hate it if they had a ban.
This is simply another instance where the intents of the heart our brought into the light, if people are outraged by what these kids are doing on there blogs. What are they doing when there off? There going to be doing the same things.
Thx for this post its good and true, and a little sad. Also very true about myspace,
GodBless Always Justin ^_^
shutting down blogs is stupid, plain and simple....for examle, I am a 19 year old male living in upstate NY and i am leaving for school soon, I am headed to Orlando. Instead of waiting to get down there to meet new friends, i just started talking to people on myspace. So now I wont be stuck watching TV all weekend, thanks myspace!
"what ever happened to free speech?" is right.
Stopping blogs will be like trying to stop the wind from blowing, its not possible. Even if the sacntioned blog sites go down, teens can still make their own websites and use them to blog. The only reason why the blog sites are so popular is that they can form groups and access their friends blogs by navigating through their own. Otherwise they would have to bookmark each of their friends websites or (even more likely) add a link to them on their own website so that they can. Also, most free web hosting providers offer a way to keep ones site from being listed publicly in search engines. Also theres no stopping a group of kids from buying their own server (if they really wanted to do this, it is VERY easy to save up money and do... one wouldnt ven need an expensive one either) and coding their own private blog server site that they can invite whoever they want to that wouldnt be publicly available. No one can ever stop something as big as this, so why do people even try?
It's awful that "The Man" is trying to shut down blogs. I've had a blog for a year and a half now, since I was just under 17. I write in it like I would in my diary, but I'm better about updating. I made it friends-only several months ago because my parents didn't like me writing the truth (mainly, about some very factual mean things that my brother did to me) and for privacy reasons. It'll be impossible to stop blogging from happening. And don't even get me started on free speech.
Obviously if they think they need to make it ILLEGAL because of stupid teenagers that don't realize you can make your blog PRIVATE or for FRIENDS ONLY then maybe they should just make blogs for 18+ and myspace should be for legal ages up becase I've seen ones with 15 year olds showing topless pictures... obviously kids who are underage can't handle it just like porn sites and smoking cigarettes. Just ban them not everyone.
I use my blog a lot and when I feel that something is especially private I make it a journal entry that only I can see and refer to. Pretty much every blog has that... even the one on myspace.
But like I said, in my opinion myspace should have been for 18+ in the first place.
Joe, your right. But i geuss the feds think that we are "fighting the power" if we talk about political issues. and also, you are right about peple overreacting, but that is just part of human nature.
from,
Parmo555
This is really stupid. I'm 15, and I have a myspace, and I do know some teenagers that are being stupid about giving too much information and everything, but I know a LOT more that are completely responsible about it, and I definitely am. Banning blogs is stupid, there are a lot of other, worse, ways people can still disclose information they shouldn't, post nude pictures, and whatnot. And I know no one would believe me because I'm 15, but the adults that actually do blog aren't too wise about it either, and most of the kids I know are 100% smarter than most of the adults I know.
Just another example about how "the Man" (aka your neighbors) are ignoring simple Old American values like Freedom of Speech.
No wonder kids are so screwed up today. We tell them to open up, express yourself, talk about what's on their mind .... and we turn around and tell them to shut up and keep things to themselves.
Still, it's not like this is a surprise. Every day we see our Freedoms being eroded, such as the loss of eminent domain, the fading line between church and state, and the FCC's battle against indecent speech. Doesn't anyone care that these are the American values that our military children fight and die for? America should be number one on the freedom index, not #44 !!!
i hate this whole thing. my school started the same crap last year - they sent home emails to parents warning them about kids using "this new dating site called myspace." ive been using livejournal and myspace both for over 2 years now and they're both great. theyre a good way for people to communicate and make friends, and meet people who know people who you know. it shows us all that its a small world too, sometimes, which is really cool. theyre never gonna be able to take it away, and i hope they realize that. what people do on their computers is THIER business. noone else's such as a school.
Okay, so the big deal is giving out information. Instead of BANNING blogs.....you know the "profiles"? have a spot to fill in your city, state, zip code, and that text thing? Why don't they just restrict sties from allowing that on their profiles? It's as simple as that and for them to stress to make their journals PRIVATE and pick WISELY who they add to their journal?
I recently started a new journal after so many. I'm not so into it as I use to be when I was 11-14 years old. So I don't really care if they ban it but it seems unresonable to me, it's almost like taking a persons privacy / rights away from them --- THAT I don't agree. When I saw this on the aim pop up, THAT is the reason why I thought this was so ridiculous in a sense
ok, here is what I have to say about this--I think this entire thing is incredibly stupid. I have a Myspace and a Xanga, and to tell you the truth I don't see what is wrong with them. They say it is a way for people to "attract sexual predators". If people are so worried about it, then they can just not put where they live, or any stuff like that.
Xanga is like a journal, and people like writing stuff down about their day and all that stuff. Myspace is a great place for friends to interact, or to meet new people that share your same interest that you might not be able to meet any other way. If they take this away from us, their taking away our one-way ticket to meeting new people that we can't reach normally.
If people are scared that people are going to rape their kid or sexually harrass them, then I say just get a kick *** security system, and/or tell them not to write where they live. I mean, having schools ban it is just stupid. That would be a complete invasion of privacy, and it would be against our rights, freedom of speech. These are my thoughts on the subject, if they ban blogs, they are (even though it is small) banning a right, which could lead to more small bans against rights, and in turn lead to a few bigger bans,and well you can figure out the rest. This is only a prediction though. None of this would have happened if people didn't became worried about kids who are just trying to grasp the opprotunity to meet new people, make new friends, and have a good time sharing ideas and opinions.
-by elementx24
Anyone who is for banning blogs is just ridiculous. Finally, we have a place where we can vent and express ourselves to others safely and with options available (private entries, etc.) that keep it unlikely that anyone that we don't want reading our thoughts, won't. The U.S. claims to be free yet there are so many ridiculous rules keeping us from expressing ourselves. Anyone who wants blogging banned is just afraid of kids getting "ideas" that they don't trust revealing to you, the parent. There are already enough restrictions at school and everywhere else for teens, leave it alone already! A BLOG isn't going to hurt you! We just need a way to vent without you adults invading our lives.
iheartaladdin55-19yrs
i have a myspace webpage.. its where i talk to all pf my friends from school and work.. i dont talk to people that i dont know and i dont say too much about my personal life.. yes i do talk about friends and my boyfriend.. but i never invite people i dont know to hang out with me.. there are a lot of weirdos on the internet but you just have to be careful about who you tell what... my moms best friend met her husband over the internet and they have been married for over 3 years now.. the internet has many wonderful things to offer people.. but its people who have to learn that not everyone is as nice as they seem.. so i think that would be totally ridiculous to ban blogs because people are just going to do it anyways..
How can they ban blogs? That's like saying you can't write in a diary! According to the constitution, we have the freedom of speech and banning blogs is a violation of that sacred right. That's what the internet is all about: FREEDOM OF SPEECH!! Now, I agree that there is some content that probably shouldn't be in blogs or online at all, for that matter. But that would be a matter of regulations. If people violate those rules, kick them off, but don't punish everyone else. That's just plain ludacris.
I use three blog sites, actually four come to think of it, I will be 18 in three months, and I have seen a chatroom with more filth than a blog. And not all things teens do on blogs are bad, I use my blog to learn html codes, and create art with paint shops. And look, if those kids are doing drugs, and writing about it in the blog, then really you're not adding to the problem, it's not the sites owner's fault a 15 year old is a drug addicted. And I have found a blog site, that is very strict on rules, and if you break them you do get blocked, you can't put pornographic pictures, or cuss in your title, you can't talk about sexual activities, you can't not harass other blogers, and you can not discriminate, and trust me they do, what they say they are going to do, that have a good selection of moderators, and if you have a problem with another blogger (ex harassing) then they check in to it, instead of deleting it like other sites would do. So not all teens or blogs are bad, hope you don't get them banned.
Yeah. Okay. Wow.
First the Patriot Act, now this BULLSHIT! Yes i just swore on an online content creator, and the world isn't going to end. The sky won't fall. Society is not worse off for it.
Which brings me to my next point. Who cares if people say what they want. Why dont you just have a disclaimer at the top on everyones page that says "People can say what they want on here. If you are offended by anything at all, dont read"
Then of course, people will read. And if they get offended. They were warned. Its absolutely idiotic to try and censor the internet, and its one more step towards fascism.
MYSPACE shouldnt be blamed for what kids view. its the childs choice to decide who are his friends and if he chooses to write to people he dosent know thats his or the parents fault for not knowing better but it is myspaces fault if there actualy is pornography being showed considering its a 16+ site.
as a teenager with a blog, i can guarantee they cant stop us. most of my friends have several, and teens can and will lie about their age.
LMAO. dude. WTF.
you juss figured this out hun?
whoaaa.
its no WONDEr kids DONT tell the stuff they write in blogs to adults.
neways.we live in times where ppl would tell their personal shit to the WHOLE WORLD WIDE WEB . and not their bro , sis, ECT.
this is a way US TEENS or w/e they call us these days make friends, keep in touch, and yess . SOme do OVERSHARE.
i guess take it as a cry for help.or something to do. or another reason why we are ALL OBESE or anyother Dr. PHIL BS.
but until then . ....
unless you are going to BRAINWASH the whoel teenahge population. dont even try hun. beacause the truth is........
why state the obvious?
waste of time/.
nice try though. A < for effort.
but ..........REALLY.
its juss a diary.
&&&&& ur one of the WEIRD PPL who READ Random sitess & crap.hypocrites arent we all.
apatheticallyy,
teenage dirtbag?
Blogs are cool, if you are a smart teen, you wont give out any information. Thats the way I am...
first and formost... this is a blog, is it not?
a "blog" if thats what u wanna call it, is what u make of it.
sometimes its someones one outlet and creative passage that they can say what they think/feel, vent, ask others' opinions, and learn things too. You get to kno ppl, even ur friends on a more personal level; ur sharing ur life with peopel sometimes.
personally, i have a xanga and a myspace. xanga is more of an online journal, a little more deep than myspace (which is usually just commenting in general, and then lookin at goofy pics of ur friends). honestly, in this age, when everyones schedule is jam packed and u meet people everywhere.. xanga is the only way i keep in touch with some of my friends.
people u meet once or twice, but they live far away? ur never online at the same time? you can get to kno them and keep in touch through comments and its almost like a mini email. you kno those. the ones that are like, "hey, hows it goin? just droppin u a line to say hi and seein whats up. looks like ur doin well~ call me up sometime" just quick notes taht keep u updated on their lives.
high schoolers barely use their email anyway, so its a good way to keep in touch.
as far as banning blogs.. i think thats the dumbest idea i've ever heard. there will always be someone thats able to override it. the internet is too big and too widely used in so many different ways for specific rules to be set by people (adults) who know nothing about the actual subject matter.
PS. not only is it good for social skills of people, those types of programs help GREATLY in computer knowledge. through my xanga, i picked up so much knowledge regarding HTML and other skills for basic website design and different things like that. and in the world today, if you dont know computers then you are basically in the stone age. why not get a head start with something useful, that u also ENJOY?
Ok making blogging illeagle is taking away freedom! People should be allowed to bloggin if they want to, making it illeagle is against the american constitution!
Everyone wants to ban something: M rated video games, rap music... so why not ban blogs... People are overreacting now but soon they'll see the light. It's just more energy wasted to fight for a topic that's not as bad as it's being made to seem. I mean really. Some parents are probably jumping for joy that their kid knows enough words to put together to make a sentence let alone a whole blog.
You know what... Who created the internet, Who maitains the internet, so who thus gets rights to publish on it. The Users. What ever we want todo on the Internet we shall exploit!
If you put something on the Internet. You are handing it to anyone who wants it. Unless you protect it. So. IF someone writes music it is public domain. unless they protect it. This is called "virtual knowledge".
Vitrual knowledge is free and is not just limited to non-contrraversal stuff. ITs everything.
SUPPORT THE BLACK RIBBON ACT - BLOCK INTERNET CENSORSHIP.
They have no right entering or domain. Lets put them on our block list.
~Vitus
Email Huck.berry@gmail.com
I'm 16 and I have several blogs, as do all of my friends. We don't use them to display sexually explicit content, so why should we have to pay for the mistakes of a minority. The fact of the matter is, if people are concerned with the internet use of their children, the should monitor them but if I'm given permission to use a modern convience like a blog, why should the government tell me I can't because its a danger? Everything has a potential danger and there is no way around it. But from what I can see, there is going to be a lot of trouble for whoever wants to eliminate something just because they think its wrong. What about the rest of us who don't think it is?
The blogs aren't the problem. The kid that thinks it's ok to do drugs and put naked pictures of themselves on the internet HAVE a problem. People need to teach their kids moral values and WHY not to do drug and WHEN to have sex instead of trying to sheilding them from the world b/c their going to find out about these things b/c this is part of life.
In conclusion teach and watch ur kids. get over and through life.
I agree with everyone of these comments. There is absolutley no valid reason to ban blogging. For teenagers, blogging is a way of getting rid of anger and stress. Think about this, if you ban blogging, there could be a higher suicide rate and maybe even murder. Instead of everyone being able to blow off steam in their blogs, they'll start to blow it off in real life. Whether it's by taking they're own life or others'. So why don't you think about that for while.
I don't think that blogging will die out. For concerns, I think blocking, warning, and other measures should be taken to protect kids. I'm seventeen and I personally love to mess around on xanga. The internet has always been a threat to kids and I understand parental concerns. Online Journals are blocked at my school, kid's can't access them there, so can't parents do the same? Blogs are a future that I think people won't live without. To share the internal feelings, with the world, helps kids cope with depression, meeting people who share there feelings, banishes the feeling of being alone. It's like a gun, people can abuse it, or use it wisely and for the greater good.
~Frank
The idea of blocking blogs is rediculous. Parents are to blame for what their children post. If parents want to limit what their kids tell strangers the most effective way is for each parent to actually watch what their child is doing and saying online. Lazy parenting is to blame for the things that these kids are doing online.
The government could not shut down these sites, (as porn sites are still common because of censorship laws). I am sure that blogging will go on.
h
i think that it is absolutly ridiculous that they wont to make blogging illeagal! its so stupid, blogging is a great way to post how you feel about what goes on around you and in your own lives! if your so afraid of your children reading them then block it from your child. or set giedlines for your child on what they can piost. {when you say children how old are you talking} b/c there are site limitations on age. and even if you did manage to stop people from bloging think of it this way if they dont read it on the computer they'll probley hear it at school! what will you do then pull your kids out of school, or makeing voiceing an opinion illegal!
Just for the record, I hate it when government interfears in everything. My father is a city council member in our town and is a strong libertarian. So is my mother. I've been raised that government's jobs should be minimal, and this is no different. If parents don't want their kids blogging, or want to regulate what they put up, they should take action. It's not to govenments job to protect someone elses Children. And yes, I have a blog. I love my Xanga and I use it to keep in touch with my friends because with our busy lives it's hard to any other way. My mom trusts me with it. It makes me mad that government always trys to regulate everything. I think if the Great Men who built this country came back.. they'd be so dissapointed. We're loosing everything we faught for!!! My father was in Desert Storm and it makes me sick that he risked his life for a country that is losing it's freedom & values. First it's Prayer in schools, then it's blogging, what next??
i was reading previous comments nd referring back to what lsusieqexpol said about how this is a blog also i wanna say HAHAHAHA U GOT SNOOPED JOE! lol she dissed u!!! o nd u better hope u dont reveal too much info about who u r once pple find out about the person trying to stop blogging ur gonna get shanked XP
The constitution upholds the freedom of speech. Children need guidance as in most things to learn that what is said openly in a blog does have adverse consequences.
It may seem as though all teens have a good deal of agry angst to dish out. What one writes in a blog does not necessarily mean that it is fiction or not. These could very well be some very creative kids who may have found blogs as a way of letting out some creativity.
I find it odd that these very children that are causing parents, teachers and the government panic, are the same ones that cut the school budgets and or blast these very children for not speaking their minds, write and my favorite.... read.
I'm sure if they were all consumed with the Catch in the Rye or Lord of the Flies book burning would be in vogue.
Blogging and content are cool to an extent but unfortunately we do live a world where lives are altered by one bad judgement call. I was watching a show this evening wherein pillars of the community were caught showing up to meet underaged kids (12, 13 & 14) both male and female ~ in one case the man actually stripped and walked on in the house. School teachers, Officers in the military and even a rabbi were 'caught' ... So don't think it can't happen. I don't have any answers about how to put controls on your computer or your child but the folks on the tube suggested NOT allowing private computers or Webcams ...
scary stuff. what may seem 'innocent' to someone may get them 5 to 10 just for 'looking' at photos ... it happens ... beWARY. In one of the cases from the tv show a fella got caught and went online and chatted up the same folks who were watchdogging and met them a second time. It's a federal offense some of what these people are doing. Times sure are a changing. Give up too much of who you are and you put yourself at risk ...
Thats ridicoulas, Myspace has really helped me, I moved out of state and it helps me keep in touch with my best friends, I cant pay for postage for 100 letters a month im just a kid, Its harder to keep track of 500 email address's. I can never go on aim the hours my friends are on aim because of the differnt time zones. If kids want drugs they can get drugs anywhere, they want to put out explicate photos they'll put them out somewhere, There becoming easier to get to by pedophiles wow! you can be found by a pedophile standing outside of your house! What adults dont see is that were old enough to make are own choices and shouldnt be told whats smart for us to do and whats not smart.
I suppose it wouldn't bother me, much, I never do much on my blog. I'm nearly 19 years old, so the teen-blogging ban wouldn't really apply to me.
However, what about the kids who do something good with their blogs? Why should they be banned from spreading a good message? I think the teens who abuse their rights by exploiting and advertising themselves should be punished, sort of like how drinking (for older people, mind you) is OK (by law, anyway), but when people abuse their right to drink, they get punished.
That's just my two cents... and I'm pretty poor... Damn, I need a better job.
Maddie
And on another note, I personally think that teens should be restricted to a certain amount of time online, unless they can uphold propriety in spelling and grammar. It's atrocious! There are kids my age who use 'AOL speak' shorthand in tests and research papers, because that's all they know!
No offense to my fellow teens, but oh my God... reading some of the comments here, it's almost painful to my remaining brain cells. There's a girl at my school who types and prints out notes to give to people, and you can't understand what message she's trying to convey, because all of it is 'ppl' or 'ur' or 'thnx'. The sad thing is, even her Net-speak is spelled wrong sometimes!
Sorry if I piss people off, but do you really need to type like you only have half a brain? No one will take you seriously if you type, write, communicate, etc. like you practically LIVE online. (I've been an Internet junkie since I was 11 or 12, so yeah, I DO spend a lot of time online, and have for a long time, but I've at least kept my type legible.)
Please, PLEASE, fellow teens, rise up and get smarter! You bitch about how adults treat you like you're stupid, well quit crying and DO SOMETHING about it!
Sorry. Two more cents. God, how am I going to pay for college when I keep chucking out loose change like this?
I suppose, I don't care. The old people of this country certainly need something to bitch about. That's just sort of how many of them were raised, I reckon. I'm not trying to make a sweeping generalization here, but first, the 'ban' on GTA: San Andreas; is 'Blogging' next in line to take the boot in the balls? Personally, I imagine that this is too big. No measure of adult intervention can shut down something that has already escalated to this magnitude. If people want to keep kids safe, I guess they're gonna have to get the issue out of the freakin' PTA meetings and maybe take it home, where half of their kids are sitting right now, on X*nga, pouring their whiny little hearts out on their blog, to the shock/dismay/indifference/'delight' of thousands.
The idea of restrictring the use of blogs is absolutely ridiculous. Blogs have the potential to provide an enormous amount of benefit through by making communication and expression easier and more widespread.
A restriction on blogging would mean the erosion of civil rights and a significant regression in communication and expression.
Gotta agree with mrskewlkruse on this one.
Being a teen myself, it's quite astounding how many other teens know nothing aside from "lol", "plz" and other such "net-speak" terms. It grates on the nerves to hear others yelling "JK!" when they get an answer wrong. It actually happens, quite frequently, and it irritates me for several reasons. One, you're not just kidding, you're WRONG. Two, at least say the word instead of yelling "JK!" every five seconds.
Three......ah, but I'm digressing.
Anyway, the sheer amount of "net-speak" floating around is awful. I don't know whether it's out of sheer laziness or just plain stupidity, but it's really got to stop. Similarly to mrskewlkruse, I'm familiar with the internet, but I manage to keep my typing legible. It's just courtesy and a good habit to get into. You're not going to type college reports with "pplz", "lol", and "plz", are you?
It does indeed feel as if it's killing the brain cells. The sheer ignorance...ugh. Let's just say I hope my fellow teens wise up pretty fast.
Quite an interesting article, by the way.
I guess its time for companies, governments, and such to do things right the first time. You'd think that lessons would be learned from example, but noooo.
I dont think its so much about the way that teens talk, (lol, omfg, etc) I think its more of the fact that teens dont know how dangerous it is to be doing this. Im a teen myself and I have a girlfriend who loves her myspace account. One girl decided to anonymously create a gossip account, where she told all the horrible gossip about the school. Now obviously if anyone found out who she was, she would be in a lot of trouble, She said some pretty bad stuff. Well just to show my girlfriend how dangerous it was, through IP trace i easily found out where the girl lives, and through a directory found out who it was. Anyone can do that, and these teens are posting pictures and thier lives on a website that anyone can see. It just isnt right...
I say the internet should be free from the hands of laws and bounds. Any government should hold no right to restrict communication and the free will on the internet. You act like this kind of stuff only goes on in blogs, everywhere actions that are held by teens are similiar throughout the United States and similar Nations. Drugs and Alcohol goes on without the knowledge of parents. Anyway most parents did the same things their teens did when they where the same age. Its how our culture is. If you want to ban blogs, then ban everything that makes blogs bad to begin with, American Culture...
Melodrama-- what the teenage population LIVES off of.
Never before have we (yes, we, I'm a mere fourteen) been in a situation where we could have a diary-- PUBLICALLY. By posting on these god-awful blogs (says the hypocrite-- I have three) we allow our friends to see the inner workings of our twisted, tortured minds-- and isn't that what we always wanted? To have someone understand what we think?
Blogging is a passive-agressive way to tell someone how you feel about them-- whether it be gloating over the fantastic dance you just had when you KNOW your boyfriend reads your blog, or by saying "SO-AND-SO IS SUCHHH A B****" when you know that particular person reads your blog-- it all distils (sp?) to the fact that we've found a great new way to express our minds.
Our school tried to ban blogs-- good freaking luck. There are 310 members in my town blog ring (yeah, can we say BAD IDEA? Hey, let me post about my life and write out my schedule every day and give you the NAME OF MY TOWN..), and that's just on Xanga alone. Good luck, schools, because you are impeding on our basic right to FREE SPEECH, which the student body will not let you forget in the near future.
Le sigh.
Back again--
Blogging suddenly lost its appeal to more than half of the student body when I taught our English teacher how to read them. *snicker*
Gosh, you try checking your comments to have a "That's a nice bit of writing-- do that in my class!" post on there. Unnerving, to SAY THE LEAST.
h
Well, well... you've opened a fine can of worms, haven't you? My personal thoughts are that folks young and old should exercise common sense in the medium. Parents should be parents and know what their children are doing online. Parents should talk to their children. Schools and workplaces shouldn't have the right to ban blogging except that on school or work property or with its equipment. That said, the bloggers should realize any entries they make about school or work may come back to bite them. But the Internet has always been a scary place for children (as well as some adults), blogging is the same. You do have to be careful out there whether you're young or old.
I think it's probably all your fault, Joe. <grin>
I myself,am a teen and when i signed on my aim and saw the news that some one was trying to get blogs banned,i was a little shocked and wanted to learn more.Let's face it,i'm a 13 year old who listens to rock and mostly dislikes her parents strongly at times,i wanted to rebel.As i do understand your concerns,its not your decision to ban blogging among teens,or adults for that matter.and yes, i do know of teens who have blogs, and on one of your articles you stated that myspace is a provider of some of the profanity and Vulgar videos and pictures in blogs,now,profanity is allowed on myspace,but nudity and serious personal info are not aloud to be given out on that particualr site.When you put a picture on any thing on myspace,it is immediatly checked for nudity and if any is seen, it will be taken off and your account terminated.Dont get me wrong, i dont think that what most teens are doing[[mostly girls]] to expose their bodys and draw attention to them selves is not only degratting but seriously unsafe,considering all of the pediphiles.While i do respect what your doing in some part, i think it would be better to try to get certain limits set on ALL blogs, not just certain websites,instead of completely getting rid og blogging,because it is fun and it is a cool way to interact with your friends and let them in on "the latest gossip".And as many of you may be thinking, im just 13,what do i know?, well as i may be 13 that doesnt mean i dont have opinions and i dont think because when i do feel strongly about something,i speak my mind,thanks for listening and i hope you take it somewhat into consideration(:.
i like blogs! I think that any one who wants them should have them if they want to
h
okay, i totally dont agree with your latest blog entry! Teens are like everyone else and should have the right to express themselves as much as any adult.
okay, i totally dont agree with your latest blog entry! Teens are like everyone else and should have the right to express themselves as much as any adult.
6:39:20 PM EDT
Feeling Ecstatic
Hearing Finley Quaye My goal is to help people
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