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Today's kids "don't remember" how they learned to use the Internet
Filed under: Gadgets, That's Entertainment
I'm only 24, but I can very clearly remember when my dad bought our first home computer. I can remember the first time I used a chat room or sent an email, and what the Internet looked like before Web 2.0.
But today's kids have grown up with computers and the Internet. For them it's an everyday reality, just like VCRs and color TVs were for my generation.
In a recent study of European kids, researchers found that not only did children aged 9 and 10 report that they "couldn't remember" learning to use the Internet, but also that they were responsible for teaching their parents how to use the computer.
What's also interesting is how kids view downloading music and file-sharing. While the vast majority of the children surveyed seemed to understand the basics of copyright law (essentially, that downloading or sharing music and games for free is illegal), that knowledge didn't stop anyone from doing it. Their responses included "everyone is doing it, so I'll do it too," and "It is wrong but not our fault." Some justified their actions by noting that "Singers and actors are rich enough," or speculating that "It wouldn't be on the Internet if was like really illegal."
On one hand, this has exciting implications for where Internet technology could go, now that we're seeing the first generation that has completely integrated it into their idea of how society works. But on the other, what does this say about how these kids view those who create the content they're so adept at using (music, games, or other work that can be shared online)? Do they really think stealing is OK just because it's easy not to get caught?
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
8-14-2007 @ 10:10AM
Treila said...Every parent should have a buddy to talk to, real or not real.
http://www.fakebuddy.com/
Reply
8-14-2007 @ 3:40PM
Monica said...This, like all things, comes from both parents and peers. Unfortunately many parents just don't understand the internet, and rather than make a stand on something they're not clear on, they allow their children to convince them that it's okay. These are probably the same parents who would march their children back into a store to pay for a shoplifted chocolate bar. It's not a lack of morals so much as a lack of understanding.
I have found that the way to convince my kids that illegal downloading is truly wrong is to put a face on it. Not the ultra rich movie star or rock star, but the guy down the street who writes software for a living, or someone who migh work in an editing studio making the latest album of their favorite star perfect. It helps make it clear that they're not stealing from a faceless corporation but from real people.
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8-14-2007 @ 3:57PM
caitlin said...I think mp3s are their mix tapes. I'm just a little too young to have participated in that, but I remember the older kids on the bus passing around tapes of songs they recorded from their collection or over the radio. An unfortunate side effect of our switch to cds and digital music is that it's harder to legally share a cool song with your friends.
Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with sharing the occasional song, especially if it's from someone who doesn't get played on the top 40 stations. All of the albums I've bought within the last few years were a direct result of a friend sharing a song they thought I'd really like.
And not all free music downloads are illegal. There's Amie Street, where the tracks start off free and go up in price as they become more popular. And there are several artists that offer free mp3 downloads on their websites. There's also a handful of artists who let you choose how much you pay for their songs.
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8-14-2007 @ 4:57PM
Ann Adams said...I tell them listening is okay, downloading isn't. They know I check up on them and so far I'm a little more computer savvy than they are (which isn't saying much) but they're not nearly at the hacker stage yet. They haven't had enough exposure and I've kept a fairly tight rein on usage.
Honestly, I don't know which sites are legal and which aren't so I err on the side of caution.
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