From and

to

: growing up digital :

and

Sacha Chua

How do you make friends?How do you hang out?How do you stay in touch?

More and more people are doing all of that online.

Other people don’t get it.

Your parents didn’t grow up with Facebook.

Your teachers might not know about Myspace.

This is brand new territory.

If you want to be in it,you’ll need to keep yourself safe, andyou’ll need to help other people understand.

A bit of perspective:

• The Internet started out as a way for researchers to connect in case the world went kaboom. (~40 years ago)

• Then companies joined. Most websites were like brochures. (~ 15 years ago)

• Search got much better. E-commerce became popular. (~ 10 years ago)

• Now it’s about people connecting with each other and sharing what they made. (~ 3 years ago)

And things are changing even faster now.

Remember the first day of school?It’s different now.

You can make friends even before you go on campus.

You can keep in touchwith lots of people.

Find out how they’re doing.What they’re feeling.

Who they’re seeing (or not seeing).What they’re thinking.Where they’re going.

I keep in touch with 305 friends through Facebook.By the time you see this, there will be more.

updates - stories - events – photos – cool videos - favorite websites - even relationships

We hang out. We keep in touch.

This is a good thing.

It can also be a bad thing.

“Children under 13 years old are not permitted access to Facebook.”

Why not?

Stay out of trouble.

• You don’t have to be friends with everyone who asks you.

• Think before giving out your information.

• Think before sharing your secrets.

• Think before meeting up with people.

Change your privacy settings so that only your friends can find you.

Think ahead.

The Internet remembers.

When you’re applying for your dream job, do you want your boss to see that photo you took on a dare?

Stand up for yourself.

• Don’t tolerate cyberbullying.

• Block annoying people.

• Talk to someone you can trust.

This is not easy. Even grownups get it wrong.

• Stay out of trouble.

• Think ahead.

• Stand up for yourself.

Facebook, Myspace, andother sites are still good ways tomake friends, hang out, and keep in touch. Just THINK.