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Issue 5 - February 2011
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In this issue...
- iSelf: How Online Identity May Indicate Bigger Problems In Your Teens
- Surfing to be Thin
- Accountability as a Lifestyle (Part 3):
The Next Generation
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New research by the Girl Scouts gives insights as to how teen girls portray themselves online.
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iSelf: How Online Identity May Indicate Bigger Problems in Your Teens
By Lisa Eldred
Constructing an Online Identity
Conventional wisdom tells us people pretend to be other than who they are online. The stereotype of a sexual predator, for instance, is an adult male masquerading as an adolescent in order to groom youth (for the real story on this, download our e-book).
New research conducted by the Girl Scouts indicates that many teens are the ones actually reinventing themselves, though for less sinister purposes. Read more...
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| Surfing to be Thin
Websites lure teens, give dangerous advice on anorexia, bulimia By Sam Black |
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In a Facebook age where image is everything, vulnerable teens, especially girls, can be tempted by the lure of "thinspiration." Hundreds, maybe even more than a thousand, websites inspire people to embrace anorexia and bulimia as a lifestyle. Called pro-ana or pro-mia (short for pro-anorexia and pro-bulimia) such sites offer dieting and purging tips, inspiring quotes, and photos (called thinspiration or thinspo) of models that range from naturally slim to starvation thin. While some parents are quick to dismiss the issue, studies show the sites are very seductive. Read more...
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| Accountability as a Lifestyle (Part 3):
The Next Generation
By Luke Gilkerson |
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Kids are growing up in a digital world. Young people born since the mid-90s have never known a world without computers or the Internet. A recent study by AVG found nearly 70% kids, age 2 to 5, can operate a computer mouse, while only 11% can tie their shoes.Today young people spend over 7 hours every day with media (and nearly 11 hours if you include multi-tasking). Teens spend an average of 31 hours a week online, and nearly a third of teens say being "unplugged" from technology actually makes them feel more stressed. The question parents need to ask is this: How does all this time online play a role in shaping the character of my kids? Read more...
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