Do teens use online forum as a way to be popular?

Question

I heard something on the radio tonight, some psychologist who claimed that teens who are otherwise not popular or quiet and shy at school etc. use online forums such as facebook and youtube as ways of making some kind of claim to fame in a way that is pretty unsafe and dangerous.

Kids post drunken images and videos and photos etc. that they pass around others publicize without their permission.

Is all that a way to gain the attention they don't get in "real life"?

That is what this pyschologist is claiming and they say that teens today need a lot more stimulus and need to be "doing stuff" a whole lot more than teens of yesteryear, ie. they need to be always kept busy.

No wonder parents are stretched to the limit! LOL

Thoughts from both sides?

And I'm not saying all teens, but just those who tend to get really insane and wild and don't think of the dangers of what they are doing or the fact it can hurt their reputation forever down the road.

Answer 1

Thankfully I don't have that problem with my kids. they're too hyper to stand still , and they are big attention hogs at the house. But I do understand how these things can happen. My Nephew is a shining example.

Answer 2

I'm also thankfull that my kids don't use the online forums for 'being popular'. Mostly it seems to be the way society is today using popular socialy utitlites in order to communicate with each other. They don't even talk on the phone anymore, it's more about messaging. But I can see some kids might use the forums as a way to hide their own identity and become more liberal to socialize in a very un attached way.

Answer 3

I think teens do use the internet do become popular in the real world. They will become more popular than they ever were. I heard that on the radio too. It's just peer presure.