Getting personal: Is all of America living online?

Iria · Dec 24, 2006, 01:41 AM

Source: Newsweek
__________
Dec. 25, 2006 - Jan. 1, 2007 - Google "Andrew Romano." You'll find some impostors—like the Yonkers, N.Y., lawyer currently lodged in the top spot (damn him). But there's also a lot of me out there. You can snicker as I stare seductively at the camera in a college head shot. Gag as you listen to "Valentine's Day," a song I wrote for my girlfriend. Dig up my favorite films, my cell-phone number and the names of all my friends. Did I say "a lot"? I meant "way too much."

Ah, Generation Internet. Weaned on self-esteem, kids my age (24) are eager to express themselves. From grade school on, a steady stream of Web sites have catered to our self-obsession: first message boards, AIM and LiveJournal, then blogs, MySpace and YouTube (plus Google to catalog it all). Early on, this was geek stuff. But in 2006, MySpace's unique visitors tripled to 80 million, and it became the most viewed site in the United States. Discretion? LOL. We're sharing our entire lives—buddy lists, party photos, vital stats—online.

Dec 24, 2006, 01:41 AM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	Getting personal: Is all of America living online? Source: Newsweek __________ Dec. 25, 2006 - Jan. 1, 2007 - Google "Andrew Romano." You'll find some impostors—like the Yonkers, N.Y., lawyer currently lodged in the top spot (damn him). But there's also a lot of me out there. You can snicker as I stare seductively at the camera in a college head shot. Gag as you listen to "Valentine's Day," a song I wrote for my girlfriend. Dig up my favorite films, my cell-phone number and the names of all my friends. Did I say "a lot"? I meant "way too much." Ah, Generation Internet. Weaned on self-esteem, kids my age (24) are eager to express themselves. From grade school on, a steady stream of Web sites have catered to our self-obsession: first message boards, AIM and LiveJournal, then blogs, MySpace and YouTube (plus Google to catalog it all). Early on, this was geek stuff. But in 2006, MySpace's unique visitors tripled to 80 million, and it became the most viewed site in the United States. Discretion? LOL. We're sharing our entire lives—buddy lists, party photos, vital stats—online.