Dear FRONTLINE,

"Growing Up Online made me realize just how much and how easily kids can get sucked into this cyber world. I once got sucked in, although not to the extent the kids in the program did. Then I realized how dangerous and crazy the whole idea was.

To live your life and hold the majority of your relationships in a world that's not even physically real seems crazy now. You never really know who you are talking to when your online and that's a little scary to me. Don't get me wrong the Internet can be very useful and helpful, especially for classes now, but MySpace, Facebook, blogs, online dating, and these disturbing websites are the darker side of a useful tool. Like a hammer, it can be used to build or it can be used hurt.

Leonard, Michigan

Dear FRONTLINE,

Students are becoming increasingly isolated in a world that is more connected than ever. The minute students leave my class, they plug in their I-Pods, pull out their cell phones, and start texting their friends. The problem with this is that students are entering virtual enviroments in which the rules are forever changing, and then when they try to transfer the learned social skills from their online communities, to the real world, they encounter problems. The fastfood mentality, as it has been termed, is a reality.

Very few students of today can stay focused long enough to read through an entire novel, and very few have the critical thinking skills to work through a problem. If they cannot receive instant gratification, they oftentimes refuse to engage in the problem, or when the more motivated students do, they cannot properly come to reasonable conclusions.

I fear that this social isolation is a serious issue. Nobody can reasonably expect someone who deals in a virtual world to enter a concrete world without a certain amount of truama, and the need for an adjustment period.

The need for immediate gratification can be curbed by school libraries removing the digital catalogs and going back to card catalogs. Necessary referencing skills can be taught. Students can once again enjoy the the thrill of the search as they track down that critical piece of information.

Parents can limit their children's use of the computer at home, and I see no reason why teenagers need cell phones. I hear some people saying that they are great for emergency and easy contact, but then again, isn't part of growing up being unleashed a bit at a time?

As for the woman whose child refuses to give her his password, take the computer away from him, and do not allow him to use it. Take the video games away. Take the cell phone away. Stop caring about if your kid likes you. "Yes but he'll be able to get online at schoo!" True, but not if you don't want him to. Call the school and tell the principal that your child is not permitted to use the computer. You seem like a concerned parent, but geesh, grow a spine.

Gerald Hunt
Orlando, Florida

Dear FRONTLINE,

I am a 19 years old college student and I watched this film on the internet. I use Facebook, frequent internet forums, play video games online, and instant message my friends. You could say without hesitation, that I am a fully fledged member of the online community.

Secondly, I would like to thank you (and maybe even congratulate you) so much for such an insightful and even handed portrayal of growing up on the web. When I see a report about the internet and teens it usually gets little more than a roll of the eyes and a snide remark about it's blaring ignorance. Your film however, was like finally looking into a mirror that did not originally belong in a fun house. This is not to say that any of the information was surprising or new to me, but rather that the situation was actually well understood by a group of outsiders. It was encouraging to see teachers taking adapting to curb cheating (my teachers preferred making us annotate the novels we read) and to see parents really trying to understand what all this means for their children. I was pleased that the mirror I was looking into was, for the first time, a two-way mirror.

Scott Arakawa
Des Plaines, IL

Dear FRONTLINE,

The behaviors described in this piece are not new. Technology has not created the rebellious, irresponsible, and, often times, dangerous conduct being exhibited by today's teenagers. The ceaseless innovations in technology have only allowed for the most recent incarnations of these ageless tendencies to be manifested in new and different ways... ancient songs played by new instruments.

In my 29 years of meandering I have witnessed the exact same problems, both before and after the infusion of these devices into children's everyday routines, that were prevalent in the generations preceding mine (my father had been teaching school since the sixties, and vivid depictions of the pitfalls of youth were a mainstay in our household). There is but one common denominator in all these equations... the parents.

For many years I have watched the desire to be a friend rather than a parent, coupled with the misconception that spoiling your children and being a loving parent are one in the same, and have seen the exact same outcomes. The issue is not the ability to control them and shelter them from the real world, but rather the preparation for their inevitable emergence into that minefield which needs to be addressed. If you have failed to adequately lay the groundwork for their survival in the harsh and adversarial environment that exists outside of your view, eleventh-hour damage control is futile. I did a superb job of destroying my life without the benefit of any of these gadgets and devices... but in the end, it was the life lessons that were imparted throughout my childhood that kept me alive and made it possible for me to fight my way back from the brink of a hell that most never return from. It is not prohibition that will save your kids, because you can never prevent every threat that can possibly emerge, but rather education that will protect them.

By the way, correct me if I am wrong, but these kids are not buying all this stuff for themselves, are they? And, once more, I apologize if I am incorrect, but the issue shouldn't be how the teachers can circumvent cheating, but, rather, why parents haven't addressed that tendency years earlier, right? When did it become improper for parents to intervene in their kid's lives? If I had tried to justify cheating by saying I just didn't have time for schoolwork my parents would have been more than happy to realign my priorities for me to eliminate that problem. It seems to me that the internet is just the newest in a long and illustrious list of excuses for parents to use to excuse their laissez-faire parenting.

And finally, my heart goes out to the father of the young man who took his own life. Sometimes, even when you do everything right, things still turn out all wrong. May you and your family find peace once more.

Thomas Zarro
Royal Oak, MI

Dear FRONTLINE,

The time for parents of teenagers in America to stop pawning off their parenting responsibility to others (Teachers, Grandparents, and Siblings) is now. I understand that in most American households it takes two working parents to support a family. However, the passing off of the parental responsibilities is unacceptable. In a society where cyber-bulling causes teens to hang themselves in closets, parenting is essential to the lives of children everywhere. "Growing Up Online" does a great job of bringing the "online life of teens" to light for people who would otherwise not understand. As pointed out in the program, a profile on any online service can easily get out of control and with appropriate involvement of the parents; any situation that arises could be combated as a family. I believe that this episode should be an ongoing task for the Frontline staff.

Rick Taylor
Hazel Park, Michigan

Dear FRONTLINE,

i beleive that internet is very addictive, from my expericen i felt that the only friend that i have find is on myspace and facebook. everyday when i come from school i would be in my room for 8hr search on internet and talking to my friend from different state.

naeth long
east pointe, mi

Dear FRONTLINE,

Thank you for this documentary. The comments that have been posted are as interesting as the original pieces. You got us to think, whether we are young people or adults, about the way new media impacts our lives, our families, our educations.

In every generation for the past 100 years, we can see the concerns that the new and modern are somehow less fulfilling and moral than the past, with a few crusaders who cannot see that there is anything to fear. We have weathered each change. Technology changes, but people aren't really so different. Parents care, children explore, we all want to be accepted and loved.

I see children who are in trouble. I see children who are amazing and creative. I see children who will be the next generation and equally concerned about the things that make their own children's lives different and the difficulty in deciding when your child has gone too far. I laughed when my own mother said just remember, some day you will be a parent. But she was absolutely right, and we can't help but want to find ways to protect our children from the world even though we know that isn't possible and they must explore and find their own way to become responsible adults and parents themselves.

The power of your piece is in creating this kind of dialogue. It is interesting that we all watched the same segments yet had such different responses. Even a bit humorous that those who were concerned about their children posting their thoughts online went ahead and posted theirs. The discussion is as enlightening about where we are going as the video!

Ellen Hoffman
Honolulu, HI

Dear FRONTLINE,

I got to Dalewood school and in class we are learning about Cyber Bullying. We watched videos off this sight in class and i thought about how my life is so much like these kids lives. I also know many others that can connect to these kids. We wathed a video about a boy names Ryan and found out he had commited suicide because of cyber bullying. I got so sad after our class watched that.

I think it is great that you have this site so we can know that kids are going through the same things as me.

Saliena Lewis
St. Catharines, Ontario

Dear FRONTLINE,

I thought that this a very interesting show, I saw it with my 7th grade class. It did give good insight into the way some children and parents think. Sometimes I thought that the parents were being a bit nosey and not trusting there children. I understand that our parents trust us, but don't trust the other people online. I believe that if you are smart and do not give out any of your information such as your address or telphone number than it is perfectly okay to have a "myspace," and or a "facebook." The part that struck me the most was when the young boy killed himself because of cyber bulling.I think that that is a shame, but most fathers just don't teach there son to fight for no reason. I think that if you are being cyber bullied that you should tell an adult right away and that you should ignore those people that are doing it because they have nothing better to do. Good show, and good insight on different aspects of the internet.

Jessica [7th grader]

Jessica Hyde
jersey city, new jersey

Dear FRONTLINE,

As a police juvenile officer I see alot of cases of Cyber Bullying. Too bad most parents cannot seem to shut off the internet. As your program stated, kids will not say these things face to face but on the net it's all hidden. The victims cannot stay away and have to see the bullying messages. If they would just disconnect the internet for 3 weeks. The messages would not be read and most of the offender's time would be wasted posting messages the victim will not read. He or she should also tell his friends that the net is off and what ever they read should not be talked about. I wish more parents would cut the cord. It does not have to be forever, but when it goes back on it should be in a public room. Computers should not be in childs bedrooms.

Dave Cain
Cambria, NY

Dear FRONTLINE,

i think this topic is lacking a younger persons input.

i am currently 17, but i started getting into the online world around age 12.

i think younger people DO need rules and guidelines and even monitoring from their parents, but once their around 15 they don't want you knowing what their doing online generally, i know i don't want my mum checking up on me when i'm talking to a local girl on messenger, or looking at her pictures on myspace, especially as a guy, i'm not very dependant on my parents and don't want their help with any problems...but maybe thats just me.

once they are around 15 i think you should just leave them alone generally, they should be internet safe in terms of not giving out your address and similar things.

when you were in your teens did you want your parents knowing what you were doing when you were out at night?

and teens are going to do stupid things on the computer or not, its just part of the learning process :P

this generation is the same as the last, just, a bit more technological...

brisbane, QLD

Dear FRONTLINE,

I was insulted by the fact that this documentary focused entirely on the kids online. It's going to give adults the wrong image about us. We are not all "hooked up" in such drastic ways.

I would know - I'm going to be 18 in about a week. I have a Facebook and Myspace. However, I only add very good friends (so I have about 30 on Myspace) and each profile is privatized to the extreme - in other words, Friends Only. I also only check these pages every few days. The main thing I do on the Inernet is post poetry on writing forums looking for feedback because I want to publish my work one day, and the forums give me multiple opinions. And the Internet is what gave me the push to go into the writing field, because of the RPGs I joined on it as a twelve year old - and I was constantly under Mother's eyes.

And outside of this writing online, I am a straight A student who horseback rides, sings, and plays a violin. I've joined four clubs at my school - one is the literary magazine, one is a culture club, and the last two are groups that educate themselves about situations around the world, spread the knowledge, and do what we can do to help improve our planet. Considering that we do more than some politicians, we have a lot to be proud of.

So the false image that this documentary brings - that we all buy into the Internet as our best life and our true self - is flat out wrong, and Frontline should have interviewed some teens like me who feel that way.

Do a better job next time, Frontline. Bias is never a good thing to be caught with.

Larissa G.
Pittsburgh, PA

Dear FRONTLINE,

I'm a senior in highschool and we watched this Frontline episode in my Sociology class. I believe that if you have a myspace page, facebook page, etc. you should be responsible enough to use it correctly. Yes, many children abuse the interent daily and just exactly where are these childrens parents when they are bullying classmates online, or getting themselves into trouble with a predator? Parents need to teach their children right or wrong, and explain to them that the same rules apply online as they do in real life. I do not, however, believe that a mother (or father) should demand their child's password to their page. In doing this, you are only pushing your child to be more secretive and hide more things from you. Parents must also use their brains when dealing with their children online.

Amber Theuret
Youngsville, PA

Dear FRONTLINE,

Sara's story reached me on a very deep level. The internet can be a useful source of information, and even be helpful to people in Sara's condition, but there are so many more websites that can do much more damage. People don't understand the temptation of these sites to people recovering from eating disorders, the only way to get away from them is to log off, and even then, the temptation is still there. It makes it all the harder to reach out for help, digging yourself deeper into your disease.

Nicole Kemery
Youngsville, PA

Dear FRONTLINE,

I'm a 34-year-old computer scientist and programmer. I've been online since I was 15, and, much like these kids, my high school years were dominated by interactions I had with people through my computer.

I helped build the Internet we have today, because I wanted to extend people's ability to find their tribe, wherever it may be around the world. Looking at what we have unleashed, with its intended and unintended consequences, makes me happy as well as apprehensive. The best part is, it's this younger generation that's going to have to settle the question of privacy online, to develop software with real, consensual security constraints, to define the laws that govern our online reality. I can't wait to see it.

I also wanted to thank you for the happy ending to Autumn Edows' story. Halfway through your show, I was outraged, not at the behavior of the kids (hey, they're teens!) but at the fact that her parents had reacted so badly to finding her creative outlet. I was thrilled to see that they decided to support her self-expression, instead of trying to smother her with their fears.

Anca Mosoiu
Oakland, CA