Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Engrossing documentary looks at teens' online behavior.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
Facebook, MySpace, YouTube: The world has clearly changed for teenagers. Technology rules, and childhood -- or so the insightful documentary GROWING UP ONLINE posits -- will never be the same again. Over the course of Rachel Dretzin's film (which originally aired on PBS as an episode of Frontline), parents, tweens, teens, scholars, teachers, and security experts make sense of the Internet's impact on growing up. Is it really rife with bogeymen waiting to pounce and pitfalls that could determine -- no, ruin -- kids' future? Or is online life more about what you make of it?
Is It Any Good?
This informative documentary, a must-see for both parents and kids, gets input from all of the issue's relevant players, adding experts into the mix to provide context. It addresses the greatest hits of Internet worries -- oversharing on social networking sites, Web sites that provide destructive information that troubled kids seek, predators -- and offers a helpful overview of what parents and kids both need to be aware of when going online.
While the material here is must-see for parents, the filmmakers take a fairly broad approach to their topic, highlighting many worst-case scenarios that may be disheartening. The experts make a point of saying as much, but their voices are secondary to parental worries. Not that there's nothing to fret over: Make no mistake, the Internet can be a minefield, especially when teens aren't given clear guidelines and straightforward information. But sometimes, there's less to fear than you might think. (For more on this important topic, be sure to check out Dretzin's follow-up film, Digital Nation.)
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about their online habits. Is there a difference between how adults and teens approach the Web? How does the film approach subjects like sexting?
What do teens think about being connected 24/7? Do they know how to protect their privacy?
Is this depiction of the challenges that lurk on the Web accurate or sensational (or something in between)? How does it make you look at the Web?
Do you think childhood has changed because of the Web?
Movie Details
- In theaters : January 22, 2008
- On DVD or streaming : March 18, 2008
- Directors : John Maggio , Rachel Dretzin
- Studio : PBS Home Videos
- Genre : Documentary
- Run time : 60 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 28, 2022
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