Hey, all. If you're reading this, chances are you like to spend time online. And it's probably no surprise to you that teens and tweens your age are the most tech-savvy generation ever, or that girls spend more time on social networking sites, like MySpace and Livejournal, than boys. Our good friend Anastasia Goodstein is an expert on teens and the internet. She's recently published a book, Totally Wired, that tracks what tweens and teens are doing online. Although the book is geared toward helping parents understand the online world of their children, it still contains a lot of neat information and websites for girls. AND now Anastasia is touring to talk about teens and technology. Check out her tour dates below -- or see if you're interested in bringing her to YOUR area.Here's a rough schedule of Anastasia's tour:
October 3-12 New England
October 15-19 Tennessee
October 22-26 DC/Virginia/Maryland
October 29 - November 10 California
Between November 12-16, Anastasia can speak in any part of the country. For more information about Anastasia and her Fall tour, click here.
But now, let's talk about you. Are you "totally wired"? How much time do you spend online? How do you feel about girls your age spending more time online than any other age group? What are the benefits and pitfalls of being "Totally Wired"? When you go online, what do you do? Do you think tweens and teens spend too much time online? Please comment and share all your internetty thoughts!
7 comments:
I like to play online. When I do, we have something on our computer that only allows me to play 30 minutes to an hour a day. So, I don't feel Totally Wired. I think teens are playing WAY too much time on computers and going on not-so-good chatrooms and such. When I go on the computer, I just play on Webkinz and stuff.
In my family, we have a limited amount of time to be on the computer for certain stuff, like browsing the internet or playing games and things like that. But I'm writing a book online (who would want to hand write 108 pages?) and my parents let me do that because I'm 'using my brain, not mindlessly pushing buttons', as my mom says. I don't think I'm Totally Wired.
I don't feel totally wired, but I do have a lot of electronics. Sometimes it is hard to keep track of them all. When I am on the computer, though, I usually just check my mail.
I don't do a whole lot of 'nothing', I usually email or IM for a few minutes, then shut both of those off and type up some of my writing, and sometimes I'll go on facebook or myspace for 20 minutes. I'm usually pretty good about not going on too much, though, so I don't think I'm totally wired.
Eden, my family is the same way! Three years ago, my mom and dad completely outlawed all "noneducational" computer games (which I never was interested in playing anyway). Internet is more on a case-to-case basis - Mom to my brother, "You've been surfing that gaming site for an hour. Get off."
The same year the games went away, as a 13th birthday present my parents bought me a laptop for my stories, because I was spending a lot of time writing. It enabled me to finish one story (now 250 pages) and start many others.
At first I used it purely for writing, but my internet use has risen over the past couple years. I try to recognize when I'm spending too much time being nonproductive, and in the past month I've almost entirely stopped im-ing and use the 'net for research and to check my email and MySpace, or to look up something that's been interesting me.
Or this. :)
I am annoyed that everyone who hears about a teen online immediatley thinks he/she is being unsafe or obsessed with myspace. My mom tells me that I am not aloud to get a myspace, but I'm not interested in one anyway. I'm very safe online, and the way that people just suppose that you are giving out personal information is beginning to get under my skin. People CAN be safe, you know.
I am very safe online, and I get off the computer when my body tells me to. But some girls stay up all night and play on the computer, and that's not healthy. I don't want a MySpace, especially when I saw something in the newspaper. MySpace has tracked down three murderers, several abusers, and more. It's scary.
-Nobodie
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