Web 2.0 and Youth
Saturday, January 31st, 2009One of my cousins just turned the new magic number – 13. The age when you become a true Netizen. At 13 you can signup to forums, and most importantly, Facebook and MySpace. This is something that my generation didn’t have to look forward to. By the time Facebook and MySpace took off we were old enough to play, which is why I had no idea how big of a deal it was until I saw a new friend request this morning. From the excitement of his posts, and the zeal with which he has added friends, I suspect that my cousin is more excited about joining Facebook today, than he will be when he gets his drivers license in a few years.
Now he has a whole new world opened up to him. A world where geography is irrelevant. Instant communication around the globe. How much longer will he be able to stay in touch with his boyhood friends? His travelling relatives, like me? He has spent his entire life, understanding on some level, the real importance of a social network (not the electronic kind, the people kind). Now he can access the tools to help him grow and nurture his network. There is no reason why he couldn’t have a network of 1,000 friends or more before he reaches college.
What do you think about the consequences for youths without this advantage?
