While I believe the information technologies of today do more good than harm, I feel your logic here is contradictory. The widespread use of the internet IS unlike no other moment in history for a variety of reasons. Furthermore, television and radio are not analagous to the internet; they are used primarily for entertainment. TV and radio are passive – people do not live out social relationships through these venues. While the internet is also used for entertainment, it does not make sense to compare it with past technologies that do not facilitate the manifestation of human relationships. Even so, history teaches us how mass media has transformed our lives – the milestone being the WWII era and beyond. I would naturally expect the internet to transform our culture – but for different reasons leading to different outcomes. Will the aggregate population become homogenized due to the internet? Never before have people so easily and routinely communicated with others all over the world.

It is not difficult to cherry pick a study constructed perhaps no better than a middle-school science project and use it as a tool to argue a point. However, I believe it’s important that implications for society that ensue from the dynamics of the internet not be dismissed.

Take a look at the online disinhibition effect, for example. There are formal research articles on the subject, but Wiki gives a good overview of the concepts:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_disinhibition_effect

Is the propensity to be bullied much greater for a teen living today than for those of prior generations? Do people tend to lie more often online than in person? If so, how does this affect the reality of our social relationships? Does the veil of anonymity ascribed to the internet alter the way we behave? I look forward to research on these and many other technology related topics.

The average person now has quick and easy access to scientific and other specialized information once reserved for professionals. I really could go on. History also teaches us about the adverse impacts from herd behavior, groupthink, etc. I am really suprised by your comments here, but at the same time, appreciate the discussion.

http://www.radicalparenting.com/2008/07/24/cotton-candy-friends-6-ways-net-gen-connections-are-changing/

Take this senerio:
16 year old boyfriend takes a nude pic of himself and sends it to his girlfriend from his phone.

He can now be charged with production and distribution of child pornography and she can be charged with possession of child pornagraphy. Cases like this are popping up all of the US now. Our laws are not setup to distinguish between a couple of kids playing around and the pediophile they were meant for. This could have a much greater impact on a college application because you are a registered sex offend.

Please talk with your teens about this.