Growing Up Online

To begin, I really enjoyed the video, "Growing Up Online". I have actually seen similar documentaries in the past, but probably enjoyed this one more than the others. I think that the Internet, as great as it is, is a very scary place. I know that when I compare my actions as a 14-year-old as compared with a 14-year-old cousin of mine, the differences in our behaviors are somewhat shocking. While I was pretty innocent and mainly used the Internet to talk to some friends or play games, she is posting half naked pictures of herself and meeting guys on MySpace.

I also found the portion of the video that dealt with the high schooler with an eating disorder. I was so interested in what she had to say that I ended up searching "Pro-Anorexia" blogs and support groups, and was floored with the results. Girls post about how they have not eaten a single ounce of food in eight days and are commended and met with jealous comments. Girls find "fasting buddies", discuss their weight gain and loss, and some even post pictures of themselves. It was a horrifying discovery, and if I were a parent I know that it would frighten me to realize that my child could be having such a hard time, but since he or she has an online support group, the child may feel as though there is no reason to discuss these issues...they already have all the "support" they need.

Basically I think that the web is becoming a progressively more dangerous place, and is attracting younger audiences. However, I am optimistic that as more people learn and understand the dangers of the web, that there will be more restrictions and actions taken to protect minors.

Target audience is a term that I am very familiar with. In a nutshell, it describes the bracket of individuals that marketers and advertisers are trying to reach. College students, the elderly, women, athletes, pet owners, teenage girls, etc. are all examples of target audiences. Datamining is the way in which marketers can get information about a specific target audience. For example, by holding focus groups, taking surveys, and using other forms of promotions to uncover information about a target, advertisers have a better idea of how to market to these audiences.

Advergame is another term that is used to describe gaming sites which use interactive games to advertise a product. I know that when I was younger I always used to go on a website called CandyStand and play themed games that revolved around different candy.

Advertisers can also make connections with social networking sites. For example, Facebook places advertisements based on personal interests. I have my favorite television shows and hobbies listed on my Facebook page, and so the advertisements that I see generally relate to the information that I provide.