It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780300166316)

"boyd's new book is layered and smart . . . It's Complicated will update your mind."--Alissa Quart, New York Times Book Review

"A fascinating, well-researched and (mostly) reassuring look at how today's tech-savvy teenagers are using social media."--People

"The briefest possible summary? The kids are all right, but society isn't."--Andrew Leonard, Salon

What is new about how teenagers communicate through services such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram? Do social media affect the quality of teens' lives? In this eye-opening book, youth culture and technology expert danah boyd uncovers some of the major myths regarding teens' use of social media. She explores tropes about identity, privacy, safety, danger, and bullying. Ultimately, boyd argues that society fails young people when paternalism and protectionism hinder teenagers' ability to become informed, thoughtful, and engaged citizens through their online interactions. Yet despite an environment of rampant fear-mongering, boyd finds that teens often find ways to engage and to develop a sense of identity.

Boyd's conclusions are essential reading not only for parents, teachers, and others who work with teens but also for anyone interested in the impact of emerging technologies on society, culture, and commerce in years to come. Offering insights gleaned from more than a decade of original fieldwork interviewing teenagers across the United States, boyd concludes reassuringly that the kids are all right. At the same time, she acknowledges that coming to terms with life in a networked era is not easy or obvious. In a technologically mediated world, life is bound to be complicated.

Author: Danah Boyd
ISBN-10: 0300166311
ISBN-13: 9780300166316
Publisher: Yale University Press
Language: English
Published: 02/25/2014
Pages: 296
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.03lbs
Size: 8.58h x 5.81w x 1.04d

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 12/09/2013
Kirkus Reviews 01/01/2014
Library Journal 02/15/2014 pg. 120
People Weekly 03/24/2014 pg. 47
New York Times Book Review 04/27/2014 pg. 25
Books & Culture 07/01/2014 pg. 22
Choice 08/01/2014
Library Journal 11/01/2015 pg. 44