Dear FRONTLINE,

You'll have to excuse my lack of brevity, for I was a blogger for just about half a decade. And for me thats a terrifying idea, as I've only recently turned 21. That said, I suppose it should be obvious that I am someone who grew up online. I had two screen names before the time I turned 13 years old, and in high school I had more friends via my ISP than "IRL" (In Real Life) and could by-pass my school district's internet blockades.

For those who aren't web-savvy, don't get the wrong idea. I'm not the sterotypical anti-social, swallow-skinned codester. I'm an anthropology student who just so happens to enjoy the comforting glow of my monitor.Conversely, my aunt still won't allow my cousins to be online without some supervision (I had a computer in my room since late in my middle school years), and though I respect her want to protect her children, I believe it's much the same as not allowing them to walk across a street by themselves to see, well, whatever it is thats there.

Alright. Enough with the similies, I'll just continue back the the subject:I was very pleased with this program, actually. The comments about many/most of internet predators' "preys" are really participants were the first of that kind I have heard. While I wasn't surprised, it felt good to get confirmation. The attempt to explain how real life and the internet life converge, I believe, was a tad ambitious with the time alloted to it. I believe that how someone looks their relationship with the online world is subject to how much time they spend on it, as well as how and where.

I think theres still a lot more that could have been covered. Basically everyone knows abbreviations like "LOL". The advent of internet/text messaging typography is nearly pandemic in the majority of young writers. I've peer-reviewed college papers where the author didn't write out the full word "you", and so on. For years I've wanted to make a research project over the further (rapid) evolution of 'internet language', as it seems to be a driving force in the next new change in the English language.

I'd be more than happy to continue, but for fear of being long winded I'll end here.

Andrea Russell
Houston, Texas

FRONTLINE's editors respond:

More to say? Producer Rachel Dretzin wants your ideas for a follow-up to Growing Up Online. Click here to read her blog, view a video message from her and learn how to share your story.

Dear FRONTLINE,

I'd like to clarify one important point regarding the email that was sent to parents informing them of the events surrounding the concert. The email said, verbatim:

Dear Parents,

Hundreds of Chatham teens attended the OAR concert on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. We have heard numerous reports of widespread underage drinking and understand that a number of children from the area were hospitalized for alcohol poisoning. Many of you may not be aware of this behavior on the trains to and from as well as at the concert, and may want to have a conversation with your child on this topic.

No photos were sent or mentioned, no links included, no judgements rendered.

I appreciate the opportunity to clarify this point.

Evan Skinner
Chatham, NJ

Dear FRONTLINE,

I have showed this video to my grad students who are preparing to become teachers. Although they are all familiar with face book and my space, this particular video has sparked some very important and valuable discussions about why teachers must be aware of the influence of the internet on their students.

millis, ma

Dear FRONTLINE,

I saw a rebroadcast of this show and am only now reading the comments about it. I'm not surprised Evan Skinner was called out for her behavior, though I understand the position of those who believe that intrusiveness of this sort is better than a dead child. I think there was more going on at the Skinner household than met the eye; from my point of view, it looks as though Mrs. Skinner was having trouble with her children's growing independence and did not show them the kind of respect as individuals that they need and deserve. But that's just an outsider looking in - which is what this show basically was all about.

I agree that the program was still in fear-mongering mode, and don't think it did enough to provide balance to the discussion. I'm a middle-aged woman and have my own blog. I, too, enjoy the camaraderie one can find with like-minded people online, and use the Internet to express myself. I have also felt the sting of flame wars and communities that turn rancid. In my opinion, it would help if parents met their children where they are - in a media-savvy world - learn from their children about this online world (if they don't already know) and teach them what they need to know to negotiate the rest of the environment.

Skokie, Illinois

Dear FRONTLINE,

In the first segment, the girl looking into the webcam saying that her parents aren't home and she can be as loud as she wants:What song is it that she's dancing to?

Seattle, WA

FRONTLINE's editors respond:

The song is "Sweetness" by Jimmy Eat World.

Dear FRONTLINE,

I found this information enlightening. I am a teacher and can relate to the fact my students knowledge of the internet far surpasses mine at this time. I am however determined to learn. I am impressed with the candor of the young lady and her parents about her myspace profile. I have students that use social networking and want to more informed. Thank you for your work and the presentation made available to us.

Grand Island, Ne

Dear FRONTLINE,

Hi. I am a mom of a teen. I am Chair of her School Council at school. I am in the process of picking issues that teens face today and finding speakers for that for the upcoming school year. I often poll my child and her friends for what they are dealing with. I happened across this show on 6-24-08. I can not thank you enough for broadcasting this episode. It was SO informative that I made my daughter watch it and I am discussing this episode with our school principal for a topic for our Parents And Teen awareness program that I am kicking off. So many parents are unaware of the dangers that our teens face. ALL too often our teens don't have anyone for info except each other and their info is waaay off base. So my mission is to give info to the teens at our school that they can refer back to when they deal with things... Wish me luck! AWESOME JOB PBA you really got this right!!

LISA LEHMAN
kennesaw, ga

Dear FRONTLINE,

I enjoyed the program "Growing Up Online". It was quite informative and thought-provoking. I am a fellow MySpace, Facebook, and instant messaging user. As the show stated, most [pre-]teenagers know to ignore or report the predators they meet online and I knew that, too. I commend what Mrs. Skinner is doing by protecting her children, but I do agree with what Cam said, she takes it to the extreme. EVERY single parent, regardless if they're computer-literate or not (which is not an excuse), should keep tabs on what their kids are doing online.

I believe that one of the most common problems that make teens rebel, cut, turn to drugs/alcohol, or commit suicide is having a family who does not understand them, that does not love them, or that are too overbearing. The parents (and even other siblings) should desire and want to learn and understand who their kids are, what they love (and don't love) to do, what they aspire to do in life, and to ultimately respect and promote their [pre-]teenagers self-esteem and well-being; not saying that parents are not in charge, they very much are. Parents that argue with, yell at, or cut down their teenager are doing the most harmful things to their [pre-]teenagers, which is far worse than the predators that the parents are worried about!Once parents come to earn their [pre-]teenagers trust, then they can responsibly (but not overbearingly) protect and monitor their activity online while upholding positive online and offline lifestyles. Obviously, this is all my opinion among millions of parents and that of fellow peers.

Frontline, keep this program frequent in your lineup on and offline. I think it has a positive effect overall. The teens who disagree are `really' agreeing at heart and want their parents and family to understand them and love them for who they are.

Thanks a lot!

Andrew Coody
Douglasville, Georgia

Dear FRONTLINE,

Hello. I just watched this and I decided that I need to go online and tell you what I thought of this program. As a thirteen(almost fourteen) year old going into high school, I get where kids are coming from when they don't want their parents to know what they are doing. I admit I have been the same way. Like some of the kids you featured, I spend A LOT of time online, because I can't text message so its the quickest way to talk to friends. I don't have a myspace, but I'm allowed to get a facebook when I turn fourteen.

I agree with a lot of what the adults are saying. How we need to be more careful and cautious on the internet. At the same time, most teenagers aren't stupid enough to give internet users that we don't know our cell phone numbers and addresses. Most of us only message people we know.

I want to talk about cyber-bullying and my encounters with it. What happened to the one boy on your program was incredibly tragic and my heart goes out to the family. I, too, have been bullied. A kid in my class made a youtube video saying that a girl in my class and I were gay and we were dating. The girl had a mental condition and he made fun of it. I found out about it in school and told my mother. She immediately told the principal who told the kid's parents. Most of the kids in my class thought that it was harmless and and I was wrong to tell my mother. I think that if it was them, they would be mad someone called them gay and made fun of them where the whole world could see it.

Frontline, I hope you do a rebroadcasting of this program because I found it interesting and it opened my eyes to more about the world wide web.

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Dear FRONTLINE,

My name is Marina McNamara, I am fifteen years old and have just finished watching your "Growing up Online" program. I would like you to know that it frightened me, I was frightened by the connections I was making with the other teenagers. I feel the same; that online you can be completely free and open about who you are. When I log on to my myspace account (for the most part that is daily) I spend about an hour to an hour and a half just answering messages, meanwhile in between letters I am usually texting several people, it has become very unusual to see me without my cell phone in hand. And this scares me, it's like I'm addicted to being connected, I imagine others must feel the same way. When I haven't spoken to someone within an hour I start to feel more depressed, I don't know why but I do. My point is that your program showed me that teens really do have the desire to stay connected as to not loose touch, but in reality we are.

Marina McNamara
Wheat Ridge, Colorado

Dear FRONTLINE,

I watched this 'Growing up online' program a few minutes ago, and just wanted to share my life and how the internet impacted and still impacts it.

Well, I'm a thirteen year old girl, but already I have dealt with a lot of problems in my life. About a year or so ago, I became horribly depressed. I hardly ever left my room, I didn't like talking to my parents, and I had a very grim outlook on life.

But then, there was the internet.

It was probably the one thing that kept me from hurting myself, or worse. I was a shy girl, and was also online. But I looked around, rarely talked to people, and mostly observed how it works. I discovered a thing, or concept if you want to call it that, called 'fandoms'. At first I thought it was silly to obsess over a show and characters. But I myself soon became engrossed in it. I soon stumbled upon a site called deviantART, where people post their art and things like that. I was always a very artsy person, and loved drawing. But it actually took me awhile to build up the courage to actually sign up there. It took even MORE to even post any art XD. I wasn't very good, but I gained skills through other people who would critique me.

While searching the internet, I would always come across the words 'anime' and 'manga'. I knew they were from Japan, but I felt like I should stay with my own fandom which was centered around a american cartoon called "Xiaolin Showdown". I was almost too proud to look at other things. I discovered that not seeing the anime style was impossible. And eventually became a anime/manga fan myself. Specifically of the series called Naruto/Naruto shippuden.

I won't go into all the details of my experiences, I will say that waiting every week for a new chapter to come out from Japan, and waiting for someone to translate it online. Was one of the things that would get me through the week.

Now I have a much happier outlook on life, and breaking out of my shell to talk to people has given me a boost of confidence. I don't think people know how much small comments like "You're so smart!" or "I love how you draw" really help me against the drama filled battle called life. So now, I'm actually taking Japanese language lessons, and I hope that when I go to college, I can spend the year there and be a assistant English teacher.

In my situation, I think that I can proudly say that the internet changed me for the better, and made me a happier person in general.

Melissa Kalfayan
Belleville, Michigan

Dear FRONTLINE,

Well, I just watched this special on Comcast On Demand and I have to say it was definitely one of the best reports on this type of subject I have ever seen. Most specials on this subject are usually ignorant and offensive. Coming from a fifteen year old teen, good job.

One thing I didn't notice was that you only seemed to focus on the majority of teenage internet goers. The majority being those who have these wild Myspaces, Facebooks, etc. Ones who spend their whole time chatting about things that include "Oh my god, did you see him today he was so hot!" and typically spending their time online as if they were just hanging with friends.

Now, this is not saying that you didn't include the other topics of this subject. Suicide, bullying, sexual predators, etc. and all were featured and well reported with testimonies from the teenagers themselves instead of (and I say this in the nicest way possible) some smug reporter who thinks they know all of the answers.

What I am getting at is that I didn't see much of the little group of teenagers, like myself, who goes to the internet not only to connect with friends (bearing in mind, these connections aren't made as extremely and the representations of ourselves are not as vivid and expressive) and do the typical teenager on the internet thing, but to connect for reasons like having deep, intellectual discussions with people of your own level. I have had discussions with people across the world about things like why nightmares occur, what is love, the 2008 election, and more topics that as a fifteen year old high school student, I would not normally have the opportunity to discuss these things so deeply with other people.

I just thought I would try and point this out to you, PBS, because you actually listen. If I were to voice my thoughts on some big report done by Fox News or NBC it would probably get overshadowed. The internet doesn't need to be viewed as this scary machine that is out to take every child's life over. It's an important tool for people to express themselves on topics that anywhere else, they would get ignored.

I also know that that kind of statement goes both ways. When you think of a teenager expressing himself on the internet you immediately think of a child on Youtube or something complaining about his parents. I think it shouldn't be that way. Parent's should encourage their kids to express themselves in an intellectual manner on different important (and even unimportant) topics without the typical teenage fanfare that is filled with expletives and ignorance.

I'm not sure if I am rambling on, so I just want to end with this:

Good job PBS. You delivered a great special that I highly enjoyed. It showed the worst of what is going on these days with teenagers on the internet without any of the typical monotony we have to go through to get the kind of answers we need.

Thanks,

Chris Marx
South Park, Pennsylvania

Dear FRONTLINE,

As a veteran high school social studies teacher who has been in the classroom for twenty-nine years, I found the comments regarding the "revolution in the classroom" decidedly one-sided. I cannot believe that there was not one word about plagiarism and the illegal nature of students going online to "steal" the words of others and submit as their own in an assignment. In fact, your narrator of the program called it "borrowing." That is exactly what some of my students try to do, but each year receive a "zero" for plagiarism after I check their sources. In the last decade, there has been a dramatic decline in the critical-thinking of high school students, their ability to construct a well-written essay, and to spell words that I learned in the fifth-grade in the 1960s. The widespread use of various forms of technology is largely responsible for this. Your program tried to qualify what the profiled high school was doing by stating how students are being bombarded on a daily basis with "media." There was no attempt on your part to balance that statement. For the most part, students are only daily linking into "social media" sources. Facebook and MySpace are widely used by students, but that it not "media." If anything, it is a by-product of these social networking media sources. The end result of such "social networking" is that students will try to submit work with "u" instead of "you" and many other lingo used online or via their cell phone messages.

The major message I took from your Frontline program was that because students socially use such technology, which has developed shorter attention spans and the demand to be entertained each day...they are now less responsible for their own learning than students were before such technology was so widespread. That is, students that are in schools that are do not have the money to afford Smartboards...and other technology in every classroom are being victimized. Don't get me wrong, I am not arguing against the merits of such technology, however, that technology should only enhance a learning environment that is predicated on the fact that "students have to meet teachers at least half way" and that "students are ultimately responsible for their own learning." Lacking such technology should not be reason for failure, but only for making success that much more attainable.

Michael Hopkins
Darlington, Wisconsin

Dear FRONTLINE,

A previous generation has already come of age online. When I was a teenager in the late 1980s and early 1990s, my friends and I were using dial-up modems to visit stand-alone Bulletin Board Systems, and other areas of the Internet such as Usenet discussion boards, gopher, IRC (internet chat) and MUDs (multi-user games). There is a plethora of research about teens and young adults going online since the mid-1980s.

You missed out on an opportunity to show how that trend affected those users, now in their twenties, thirties and early forties. Some of my friends from back then (usually male; as a girl, I was an oddity) are computer programmers, but almost all of us are interested in technology to some degree. But with our families and busy lives, we don't use technology the way we did as teens. We use Facebook as a tool to keep in touch with friends we made in real life; we think twice about how our professional career can be affected by a quick "Google" search; we use the computer for our job and for fun, but we've got other things going on, too.

You also did not describe blogging in more depth... or how it's managed to get girls and women online in even greater numbers.

And as for Cam Skinner, it's too bad we won't see a followup report when he has children of his own. His whining regarding his mother's benign and well-meant interference was thrown into sharp relief by what happened to Autumn Edows. In that case, her parents actually destroyed her work, which would be crushing for an artist or writer, and yet the family was able to empathize with one another and move on. In the long run, they will support Autumn in her new career, which looks bright.

Cam has a long way before he reaches Autumn Edows' maturity level. I presume he also has never had the experience of losing a friend or classmate to a drug overdose, as happened to me twice.

If I sound harsh, it's because as a former college administrator, I was often called out in the middle of the night to accompany one of the students in my dorm to the hospital, whether they had charcoal inserted to cut off a bad drug trip, or they were suffering the consequences of alcohol poisoning. Several of these kids were honor students.

Those complaining parents who attacked Evan Skinner over her well-meant email, for interference, are the same ones who would call me long-distance, screaming, wanting to know why I didn't keep their kid from getting in trouble or landing in the hospital. Most of them have no idea that colleges can no longer play "in loco parentis". At this age, when they're still in high school, you still have a chance to monitor their behavior. Evan Skinner is wiser than her town realizes.

S Wieland
Houston, TX

Dear FRONTLINE,

Part of what's going on with social networking is just a new outlet for the same concerns that have driven teens for decades: How do I look? Does anybody like me? Do I like myself? Fifteen years ago I worried that my high school age daughter watched far too much Oprah and MTV and that she would be too passive to engage in life. Now I see that she was just a teenager. Today, she uses her TV mostly to screen indy films, shares fiction with me, travels widely, works two jobs and chides me about spending too much time online.

I think it's too soon to measure the subtle and pervasive affects of the Internet, but certainly they're different in, say, China than in privileged white America. What looks like a safe, supportive environment to parents may not be stimulating enough for kids exploding with energy and curiosity. I'm more concerned about the boy who never reads a book, the teacher who sees technology as a tool for building slick presentations rather than digging deeper into social studies, and the mother who obsesses over her children's private communications than I am about someone stalking those kids.

Deeper self-destructive teen impulses deserve our attention, but I don't think the Internet is the root of the problem. We might look to a culture where advertising presents a never-ending array of rail-thin role models, business measures success solely by the bottom line, and the medical insurance industry favors handing out medications alone rather than insisting upon counseling from a qualified professional. The Internet may offer information about how to kill yourself or perpetuate your anorexia, but the impulse comes from somewhere else.

Carolyn Jackson
New York, New York

Dear FRONTLINE,

To see how the youth of the 21st century is completly wasting their valuable time with myspace.com, facebook, instant messanging and cell phones is just insanity! Instead of leaving school to study their subjects, do homework, read or anything to the point of actually educuating themselves they instead turn to the internet for entertainment. I think we sometimes feel that we need for instance myspace.com, in our lives in some ways in order to feel adaquate about ourselves. I do have to admit that I fall victim to the devious ways of the internt. I find myself soemtimes wasting my time just as the people in your program do every day. I think there needs to be a very big awakening to the youth and they need to see that there is more to life than facebook. I also find is sickening that anyone can find ANYTHING they want on the internt. The fact that there are websites that support anorexic and suicides is horrendous! That young people are looking this information up instead of facts about their constitutional rights is unreal. Parents need to start educuating their children and shake reality into their heads!

Noreen Mumford
westerly, RI