ora-schriften-s-2013

Dutch police, vision on youth and the internet
suits them and what not. Young people
discover their own identity this way. Quick
interaction is pivotal and young people
want to decide how and when they do
something; using What’s app, making
calls, chat or write online messages via
Facebook and Twitter. Sometimes they do
it using the home computer, at other times,
such as on the train, by using their mobile
phone. They leave environments very
quickly that do not comply with their needs.
They don’t want to wait long for replies or
responses.
Being creative with language
As a way of communicating, young people
have created their own new forms of
language. MSN language (or chat language)
and sms language are the best known.
Chatting speed is essential here. The use of
emoticons () and the use of numerals
instead of letters (w8 instead of wait) have
their origin here. Abbreviations such as BFF
("Best Friends Forever"), and YOLO ("You
Only Live Once") are widely used.
Go online or being online?
Many adults who access the internet see
the internet as a virtual world where they
can find information and where they can do
business. They ‘go online ‘ to attend to their
banking affairs, to find a holiday or to order
something. On the other hand, young
people ‘are online ‘... They are simply doing
the things they do and use the technologies
available to them. For them there is no
difference. Online = offline...!
Ten years ago the internet was mainly a
gigantic library. Nowadays, it can be
compared with a meeting center that is
open all day and night and offers many
possibilities for service and entertainment.
The fact that the internet is the underlying
infrastructure that makes all of this possible
is irrelevant, especially for young people. For
them it›s simple: you can get in touch with
friends and be a part of a larger community.
It is an essential part for growing up, which
includes the development of social skills and
finding your own identity. That happens
nowadays for a large part online. Contact
with classmates is not limited to the
schoolyard or school hours. Via social
media and what's app they are connected
24/7, to the great frustration of teachers
and other adults. They worry about this
'face-down generation' who only seem to
have an eye for smartphones or tablets and
are distracted from homework and 'real'
contacts.
Nevertheless, this generation is not actually
any different to their parents. They have the
same need for connection and they adapt
to belong to a group. The significant
difference, however, is that schoolyard
dynamics does not stop anymore. Not
participating is not a real option. If you don't
participate, you are no longer a member of
the group. Do you want to stand alone in
the schoolyard?
When it comes to finding their own identity,
young people today have exactly the same
questions as their parents had: 'who am
I?', 'who do I want to be?', 'what suits me?'
and 'what doesn’t?'. And they also find the
answer, like their parents, through contact
with others. But, of course, the internet
offers many more possibilities for this and
thus plays an important role. You can
present yourself on profile sites with
photos and videos that you upload. In chat
sessions, whether or not you use a
webcam, you can practice your social
skills. The way the interaction proceeds is
crucial for the image that teenagers have
of themselves. Who am I, what do others
think of me, am I 'good' or ‘cool’, what are
my hopes and expectations and what do I
want from life. Sometimes the internet is
the place to be in touch with people who
share your passion, or your orientation.
Flirting and experimenting with sexuality
has expanded to include not just the
schoolyard, the hangout, the pub and
nightclub, but also the internet.
In chat sessions,
whether or not
you use a
webcam, you can
practice your
social skills. The
way the interaction
proceeds is
crucial for the
image that
teenagers have
of themselves.
Special Edition 2013
41