Adolescents’ Perceptions of Online Communication

AbstractToday's teenagers frequently use the Internet to communicate. Although it is a rapid way to exchange information and to get to know people, online communication presents certain dangers such as online threats, providing personal information to strangers. This research aims to identify adolescents’ perceptions of the virtual communication. We address issues like: time spent on online communication, online communication functions, advantages and disadvantages of online communication, virtual information transmitted. Data was collected from 23 adolescents aged between 15 and 18. The themes derived from subjects’ responses refer to the possibility offered by the Internet for long distance communication with both friends and strangers, the opportunity to be informed and to socialize, speed with which information is exchanged; perceived disadvantages of online communication among study subjects include: the possibility to build a false image, to misunderstand and misinterpret messages transmitted, to be addicted to the virtual world and neglect face to face relationships, wasting time at the expense of other more productive activities. Study subjects are aware of the negative aspect of online communication, most saying that the nature of information sent depends on the degree of familiarity with the people you communicate. The qualitative data help us understand the importance that adolescents give to the online worl