Up in Toronto, Don Tapscott, who is working on the follow up to Growing Up Digital (to be published this fall), called the internet "air" for this generation. In some ways this is similar to the idea that teens have so fully integrated technology tools into how they live their lives, that for them it's more intuitive and unconscious. Whether young people realize this or not, they have shined a light onto aspects of youth culture that used to be hidden. What used to happen after school, at parties or in conversations between friends away from parents is now happening in public spaces. We can no longer bury our heads in the sand...or can we?

I've been thinking about this a lot in the context of teens discussing issues like sexuality, drug use, eating disorders, depression/suicide on their personal MySpaces or on YouTube as well as in communities, like "confessional sites," encouraging teens to share their secrets anonymously or in forums/message boards. My instinct as an adult who cares about teens has been to want to find a way to introduce moderation or bring resources into virtual spaces where this is happening (instead of making youth seek out these resources on their own when they are ready).

But just because teens are making these thoughts and feelings public, does it mean they want resources or moderation or would even be open to it? Or would it feel as intrusive as an adult or even a peer overhearing a conversation and offering to help?

I was thinking about these issues again with last week's story about the teenager who posted a video on YouTube discussing her alleged rape. Whatever the actual facts of her case are, I found the video heartbreaking -- it was so raw. I noticed people worrying about whether she was sharing too much. What I heard was her saying she felt like posting this YouTube video was the only option she felt she had left. She consciously chose to make her case public with the intention of having the media and others pay attention (and it worked!). This is different than teens posting their thoughts and feelings on blogs or message boards or anonymously for invisible audiences, yet is another example of how young people are willing "to go there" publicly. It is also another example of how the internet is shining a light on adolescent experiences that have always happened (like date rape) but were never talked about -- not publicly at least.

My point in posting was to push those of us working with teens or creating communities where they are sharing deep, raw and sometimes risky revelations to think about this new reality and what it means -- what responsibility do we have (if any) as site operators or caring adults or even other teenagers to do anything when we see a teen in trouble?

Posted by anastasia