Teens+and+the+Internet

=Teens and the Internet= by Veronica Calles

Introduction
toc Teens use the internet for various reasons. In their personal lives, they use the internet to communicate with friends via email and social networks, like Facebook and Twitter. At school, teens use the internet to help with assignments and homework. They use the internet to do research or obtain images for a presentation, or they may be completing an assignment like a webquest. Other times, they may just surf the web to read about their favorite athlete, movie star, or athlete. In short, teens are spending an increasing amount of time on the internet and this has many implications--both positive and negative--on their lives.

Social Capital
Social capital refers to the connections among a social network of individuals and the benefits that arise from such connections.The internet has been linked to increases in social capital. While some argue that internet use detracts from face-to-face time, others argue that online interaction may supplement or even replace in-person interaction, thus increasing a person's social capital.

Social Networks
Teens use social networks like Facebook and Twitter to communicate and stay connected with friends, "meet" new people, and chat online. These social networks allow teens to maintain relationships that may otherwise be weakened, thus increasing their social capital. In addition, teens who are shy and have few friends and relationships may have an opportunity to meet people. Some research has shown, for example, that the internet might help individuals with low psychological well-being due to few ties to friends and neighbors (Bargh & McKenna, 2004). Computer-mediated communication on social networks can lower barriers to interaction and enable connections that otherwise wouldn't occur.

Email
Email provides an efficient way for teens to stay in contact with friends and family who have moved away. This becomes especially important as they graduate from high school. Some researchers have coined the term ‘‘friendsickness’’ to refer to the distress caused by the loss of connection to old friends when a young person moves away to college (Paul & Brier, 2001). In this economic climate, extended families are separated when they are forced to move in order to find jobs and other opportunities. Email provides a way for teens to keep the feeling of connectedness with cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.

School
Teens often use the internet for class assignments and homework. In fact, in a survey done by the Center for a Digital Future at USC, adolescents reported that the internet is their most important educational resource, surpassing all other forms of media (Strom, et al., 2009). Teachers frequently assign tasks that require internet use, such as webquests, online quizzes and tests, and research for presentations and essays.

Life Skills
Teens who are preparing for life outside of high school, whether it be in college or the outside world, need to have specific computer and internet skills.The Partnership for 21st Century Skills notes that in order to thrive in the world today, young people need higher-end skills and must be prepared to spend their adult lives in a multitasking, multifaceted, technology-driven world (Hall, 2006). Many of the highest paying jobs of today and tomorrow involve use of the internet, as well as other computer abilities.

Video games
While the connection between violent //offline// video games and aggressive behavior is well documented, now there are new findings that suggest that there is a correlation between //online// video games and internalizing problems such as anxiety and depression (Holz & Appel, 2011). These newer massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs) have less gore than most first-person shooter games, yet they still contain violence. Most MMORPGs involve some sort of fantasy world in which the players take on a new identity. Some argue that these types of games inhibit teens' ability to deal with real-world challenges and opportunities.

High Risk Youth
Internet use is problematic for teens who are considered "high risk" or "troubled." Youth who have experienced high levels of conflict within their families may be vulnerable to Internet related problems, perhaps because of supervision issues, communication challenges within families, or other manifestations of parent–child conflict (Wells & Mitchell, 2008). In addition, youth who have experienced prior victimization may exhibit post-traumatic stress, depression, and other trauma symptomatology which may be associated with unique patterns of Internet use (Holtz & Appel, 2011). This leaves these teens vulnerable for sexual solicitation from online predators and harassment from cyberbullies.