Internet chat rooms

Feather, A. (1997). Internet chat rooms. S. Hamilton, MA: Center for Youth Studies.

OVERVIEW

Why are teenagers turning to on-line chat rooms for friendship and conversation? To the kids who virtually "hang out" in teen areas on CompuServe or AOL, the Internet is an ideal world just beyond their computer screens. It’s a place where they don’t have to try to look cool and where race, gender, and geography pose no barriers to close friendships.

What need is being met in the chat room that isn’t being met in person? "Before I was on line, I must say I was a lost child," Wayne shares. "I’ve grown so much because I was able to talk openly to people. No one on line thinks about your age or eye color or skin color or anything. They see you from the inside." Teenagers are drawn to the anonymity that the chat rooms have to offer. On AOL alone, more than a 250,000 people log on at night, and 8,000 gravitate to chat rooms—using up to one million hours. Teens are looking to be heard apart from what they look like. "At my high school I was tormented, but on line I could find people who shared my views and would not judge me because I had long hair and dressed differently," says Cannon Mason from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Most teens keep their Internet life very separate from their school life. Interviews have been conducted to find out what attracts teens to the Internet:

These people are my friends for reasons that actually matter, says Katie Eschbacer, 15, of Kansas City, Missouri.

It’s like an alternate world in some ways, says Lindsey Andrews, 17, Arnoldsville, Georgia. It’s the same as having a big group of friends, but you don’t see what anyone looks like. It’s like the IDEAL that everyone speaks of when they say that you shouldn’t judge people based on race, age, sex, etc.

People here let me be myself, agrees Meghan Kelly, 16, of Medfield, Massachusetts.

People are more open and honest about their feelings and you can always tell when they are lying, notes, Stephanie, 17, California. The guys on-line give great advice to me about other relationships and you feel free to be yourself so you can say anything.

New technologies tend to create new cultures. "Traditionally, the teen years are a time to try new things, experiment with identity an ideas, have passionate friendships," says psychologist Sherry Turkle of MIT, who studies kids and on-line use. "If you had to imagine a medium that was tailor-made for addressing some of those needs and demands, you almost couldn’t do better than the on-line world." But with this experimentation comes new unforeseen risks.

WORDS OF WARNING

Fundamental to the Internet credo is the protection of free speech and the right of every group to be heard. These rights, however, have facilitated new concerns. Debates that emerge on the Internet can easily become heated, to the point of mutual vilification. Just as no one needs special permission to speak, no one is accorded special courtesy either. On the other hand, Internet users will often go to extraordinary lengths to help strangers with information, tips, and even research on their questions. The Internet is still a surprisingly altruistic place.

As one would expect, there is lots of talk about sex; also, many adults use the Internet as a tool to lure teenage girls. Stories of child abuse emanating from on-line contact are rare, but they are real enough to frighten many parents. And sexual harassment practically remains an on-line staple. There is a risk of being too vulnerable, because teens seem to be uninhibited while on-line. Kids are also finding elaborate chat rooms called MUDs (Multi-User Dungeons) where participants take on different characters and make up their own identity. Knowing where to draw the line on-line isn’t easy, admit mom, dads, and kids who responded to a USA Today request for letters about supervision in the cyberage. To teens, the Net represents independence and freedom. There are no boundaries; the world is open to them.

What is revealed about a culture in which teens find refuge in "cyberspace"? On-line communities, like real ones, cannot be made from a mold; they take their own shape—only the future can tell how this new culture will develop.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

1. What need is being met for teenagers to participate in on-line chat sessions?
2. Does anonymity give teens the freedom to be their true selves? To assume another identity? Is this healthy? Is this destructive? Explain.
3. How is the Internet culture changing or reforming our pop culture?
4. Do the potential dangers of Internet usage outweigh the unlimited access to people, resources, and information available on-line?
5. How can youth workers contructively use chat rooms?
6. How can youth workers and concerned adults educate, guide, and protect young people while still allowing them the freedom to explore this new culture?

IMPLICATIONS

• The Internet is an extraordinary phenomenon. It is likely here to stay, and its long-term effects remain unknown. Despite some trashy or dangerous temptations, there are infinitely more positive resources and opportunities found on the Internet.
• Some kids say they spend several hours a day on-line. The possibility exists that their "cyberfriends" are replacing real-life friends and activities. A blurring of one’s on-line and off-line lives may occur. It is important to monitor a young person’s Internet usage.
• A youth worker’s goal is to understand the heart of teenagers. While teens desire relationships and acceptance, a teen’s desire for anonymity (as found on the Internet) may hinder this process. Youth workers should learn new, creative ways of reaching kids through the Internet.
• While it is still early to predict, adolescents growing up on-line may grow up lacking socialization and people skills.
• Young people are easily swayed; they may easily be led into situations in which they are alone, without guidance.
• On-line chat rooms can be a great outlet for teens to express themselves. Still, they may be exposed to dangerous or confusing information. A good relationship with a teenager is the best buffer against any potential damage of the Internet.

Angela Feather cCYS