I often wonder why my sister posts photos on her Instagram that say “coffee is bae”, or “coffee. sleep. repeat.”, when I know that she orders the most coffee-free drink possible from Starbucks (A Cotton Candy frapp, bleh.) I often ask her why she would post something that doesn’t actually relate to her, but she always gives me the cold shoulder. Boyd explains this phenomenon, pointing to the fact that teens, in this technology heavy environment, are trying to establish their independent identities under the microscope of various people. Boyd points to various examples, with some teens using their networked publics to simply be themselves, while others are creating a separate identity. This identity could be one that they have created to help “fit in” to the networked public amongst friends, or even family. When establishing these identities, teens are often under the microscope of other friends, family, community members, and even parents which can play a role in the identity they create. Boyd stresses that adults need to remember that these teens “...are grappling with battles that adults face, but they are doing so while under constant surveillance and without a firm grasp of who they are” (53). I found this is be rather illuminating, and it allowed me to open my mind and understand that these teens are merely trying to navigate in these various spaces.
When building these identities though, Boyd brings up the question of privacy. The internet has always been a “public space”, and begs the question that if teens want privacy, why would they post on a public forum? Boyd is quick to diminish this argument, citing the many conversations she had with teens. As they try and navigate the networked public and create their identity, it is hard with family members looking over their shoulders. From my understanding, Boyd argues that the teens want freedom to be themselves, and for their parents to respect their networked public privacy by not citing safety as a reason for their constant monitoring. Again, I understand this, as my younger sister often refuses to accept my requests for her Instagram, and while it makes sense, I still struggle with how much privacy should be afforded.
The idea that teens, including my younger sister, are “coming of age”, “finding themselves” and “building their identity” on a public space is quite worrisome. And I am definitely not alone in my feeling. As Boyd states, “From the advent of social media, it has been impossible to talk about teen’s engagement without addressing the topic of online safety and sexual predators” (102). With the increase in social media platforms, it is no wonder why parents begin to worry about who else might be frequented this sites. Boyd however, is able to minimize this worry in a variety of ways. First off, she recalls an interview with a teen she had. The teen, against the wishes of their mother, created a Myspace profile in order to engage with friends online. However, the teen limited the amount of identifiable information and used an unidentifiable photo, so his mother didn’t need to worry about him if she found out (101). One teen’s concern and respect for his mother’s worries, however, is obviously not the norm 100% of the time. To further mediate the danger concern, Boyd quotes a study that looked at the frequency of “sexual solicitation”, and why the numbers were high, they were not coming from older men hiding behind a computer screen. The average age of those initiating sexual solicitation were other teens and the eldest 25 (112).
When building these identities though, Boyd brings up the question of privacy. The internet has always been a “public space”, and begs the question that if teens want privacy, why would they post on a public forum? Boyd is quick to diminish this argument, citing the many conversations she had with teens. As they try and navigate the networked public and create their identity, it is hard with family members looking over their shoulders. From my understanding, Boyd argues that the teens want freedom to be themselves, and for their parents to respect their networked public privacy by not citing safety as a reason for their constant monitoring. Again, I understand this, as my younger sister often refuses to accept my requests for her Instagram, and while it makes sense, I still struggle with how much privacy should be afforded.
The idea that teens, including my younger sister, are “coming of age”, “finding themselves” and “building their identity” on a public space is quite worrisome. And I am definitely not alone in my feeling. As Boyd states, “From the advent of social media, it has been impossible to talk about teen’s engagement without addressing the topic of online safety and sexual predators” (102). With the increase in social media platforms, it is no wonder why parents begin to worry about who else might be frequented this sites. Boyd however, is able to minimize this worry in a variety of ways. First off, she recalls an interview with a teen she had. The teen, against the wishes of their mother, created a Myspace profile in order to engage with friends online. However, the teen limited the amount of identifiable information and used an unidentifiable photo, so his mother didn’t need to worry about him if she found out (101). One teen’s concern and respect for his mother’s worries, however, is obviously not the norm 100% of the time. To further mediate the danger concern, Boyd quotes a study that looked at the frequency of “sexual solicitation”, and why the numbers were high, they were not coming from older men hiding behind a computer screen. The average age of those initiating sexual solicitation were other teens and the eldest 25 (112).