Synopses & Reviews
Does it seem like your teen can't tear herself away from friends on the computer screen (except to text them on her cell phone)? That's because MySpace, Facebook and YouTube are your son or daughter's life, not just another passing diversion.
All that energy and time spent online is affecting your teen's life in countless ways, from sexual pressure and privacy to social standing and self-esteem. Some schools are banning online networking sites, yet your child insists they're "no big deal." Who's right?
Drawing on personal interviews with hundreds of teens, educator Candice M. Kelsey helps parents assess what they should and shouldn't be worried about when it comes to technology. A landmark book, Generation MySpace is the first guide to the new world of online adolescence, where you'll discover:
- The Appeal of MySpace: How interaction becomes addictive, and how to stop it from taking control
- Profiles, Adds, and Top 8 Popularity: How "friending" is redefining friendship
- Baring It All: How kids as young as eleven are learning to market themselves and why they're looking to celebrities and porn stars first
- The Drug Connection: How social networking has made illicit substances easier for teens to get, and even easier to hide
- From Predators to Cyber-Bullies: How to help your kids protect themselves
Review
"An essential guide. Parents must find out how overpowering and influential social sites have become....Eye-opening." Library Journal (Starred Review)
Review
"Generation MySpace is an absolute must read." Rosalind Wiseman, New York Times-bestselling author of Queen Bees and Wannabes
Review
"A must-read for any parent...a detailed, practical guide." Wendy Shalit, author of Girls Gone Mild
Review
"If you have an adolescent and you're clueless about the 'social networking' sites they love, it's probably a good idea to pick up a copy of a first-rate new guidebook, Generation MySpace, by Candice M. Kelsey, a teacher at a private high school in Los Angeles. She's the kind of super-pretty, nonjudgmental young adult kids adore, and seems to have a sensible grasp of both the fears of parents and the desires of teenagers. She's also particularly perceptive about why MySpace can cause a teenage girl so much pain." Caitlin Flanagan, The Atlantic Monthly (read the entire Atlantic Monthly review)
Synopsis
A survey of online social networking sites presents a cautionary report to parents of young teens, explaining how such Internet communities as MySpace expose young people to dangerous images and promote inappropriate behaviors in a guide to online safety issues that shares real-world advice on how to protect children from online predators and other threats. Original.
Synopsis
Passionate author with "frontline" perspective: As a teacher who spends eight hours a day with young teens, Candice M. Kelsey knows how involved every child is with MySpace how it practically takes control of their lives, the dangers to which it exposes them, and the behaviors it encourages. But when talking to parents, she found that many knew little about the actual site content, nor how much time their kids were really spending on it.
Generation MySpace is the first book to explore the impact of online social networking on America's youth today and why Internet predators are only one concern.
About the Author
Candice M. Kelsey earned her MA from Loyola Marymount University and has more than 200 hours of professional development in education and teen counseling. She is a cofounder of a new private high school in Santa Monica, California, where she serves on the advisory board. She is an evaluator for the College Board's Advanced Placement program, the SAT, and the US Department of Education. Kelsey lives in Los Angeles.