Montreal Matters - Your Turn : Now it’s your turn to talk! Montreal Matters wants to hear from you. Every Monday of the month we will post a question regarding issues with youth. We would like to hear your opinion, so tell us about it! It is your turn to voice your opinion via our web forum, email or calling Montreal Matters talkback line. We want to know what you think and hear your stories about...

YOUR ANSWERS:

I believe that it becomes compulsive when it brings out negative traits out of individuals, mainly laziness and narcissism. Laziness can be seen when people detract from personal, live contact in exchange for interaction through technology.
Far worse is the problem of people who become obsessed with their own egos and find it necessary to display ridiculous amounts of photos and narration about their own life on social networking sites. This also includes people who find it necessary to display pictures of themselves in little clothing or silly poses.
Although social networking through the use of technology may have its pitfalls, it still has more benefits than the common critic would agree to. Personally, I have re-connected with friends and family that I would not have otherwise. Furthermore, it does have multiple practical purposes. Ultimately, like most other things in life, if people are responsible and aware of the negative aspects, they should be able to protect themselves from the compulsive behavior that can occur, and still have fun.
MG

New advancements in technology and communication have completely changed today’s youth culture as cell phones, texting and Facebook have become an integral part of our lives. They have replaced the good old fashioned conversation as the main means of communication between youths. You could go days without actually talking to someone, but not miss any of their important news. In theory, having so many ways to be able to communicate with someone should be a good thing but it often becomes compulsive as many youths become obsessed with checking their Facebook page or cell phone to see if they have missed any messages since ten minutes ago when they last checked. This obsession can often conflict with one’s life as cell phones, Facebook and other instant message devices distract us from school, family, friends (the ones you are spending time with) and even on dates. It really speaks volumes about today’s youths that we are not known for our creativity or free spirit, but rather for our dependence on our cell phones and other messaging devices.
Marc

Today's technology has become such a big part of our lives. Most teenagers own their personal cell phone or computer. It is shocking to see how many of us have become so dependent on thechnological gadets. Technology has evolved so much throughout the years and everybody wants to have the latest devices. I also find the amout of time spent "staring" at our phone to make sure we haven't missed a call or a text message striking . We have reached a point where it is becoming an obssession to check our facebook the minute we get home or have access to a computer. We are barely having face to face conversations with our friends because everything is being said via e-mail, facebook chat, or text messages. The majority of adolescents are juggling work and school at the same and a large amount of their money is used for paying phone bills. A lot of students are walking around with their new i-phone or chatting on their Mac Book every chance they get. The i-phone provides you access to surf the net, chat, and text your friends all at the same time. I don' think teens should be blamed for wanting to be updated on the latest gossip or spend time on their computer because we are being bombarded with advertisments everywhere we look and we are easily influenced. There is obviously a limit that should be established because it takes up a lot of our free time and concentration. But, the question is hasn't it already become an addiction for most of us?
Sarah Sebag


I believe that the internet and other forms of technology give youth a valuable networked public space to gather with their friends. Youth can use these resources to learn more about eachother in a less material way, talk about what happened at school that day, share links and resources, etc. It allows them to always have an outlet to discuss what is bothering them, and reduces stress in the stressful world of high school. Also, even though these forums do not force youth to engage educationally- they could allow motivated youth to engage in intelligent debate, where they might not otherwise. Also, I don't think it creates a space that wasn't there before, I think that it closes up a space. It adds to their existing social life instead of taking away from it. Through texting and facebooking, etc, youth are able to connect with those they might not connect with otherwise, due to a variety of reasons. I think it allows youth to be themselves and to be more confident. That being said, I think these mediums can be and are sometimes misused, however I don't think compulsive is the right way to describe them. However, it is up to those controlling society right now to minimize the misuse. If cell-phones are being brought into the classroom who's fault is that?
Adam

I believe that texting, "facebooking" and instant messaging devices have virtually taken over the social lives of the youth of today. Technology has taken it to the next level, plugging our generation into all three of those things via a simple cell phone. It takes the intimacy and in essence the privacy out of our lives, especially when every person that is listed as a "friend" on Facebook knows your daily goings on. I'm not bashing any of these concepts; what I'm simply saying is that there should be a line between how intimate you become with a piece of technology, and not the people that surround you.
Laura Sherrard

In response to this week's question, I do believe that youth have become extremely obsessed with technologies such as text messaging and "facebooking". As a matter of fact, I feel that it has become quite compulsive amongst our generation. As other participants have mentioned, I cannot tell you how many students are glued to their cell phone screens during class. This is becoming a problem because it has actually gotten to the point where teens have become unable to communicate properly. Terms such as "OMG" and "lol" have now become part of our current vocabulary. I would not be surprised if they ended up in the dictionary one day! Instead of talking to someone, whether face to face or on the phone, people have gotten into the habit of texting each other or simply sending each other quick messages on Facebook. Both text messaging and "facebooking" have rendered our relationships less personal and intimate. Because we have already given our friends a detailed play-by-play of every occurrence of the day, when it comes time to actually converse with them, we no longer have much to say. I feel that this obsession has created a space between people that was not there before.
Elaine Charlebois

It becomes compulsive when you can't just live without it. It becomes a need as eating or sleeping. It's a habit that most of the teenagers get for no valid reason because we can live without texting or messaging, but since technology started to take over "the world" youth has been living with it since then. And each time is getting worse because technology surrounds us, everything we see and hear is about technology... everywhere...we are going to destroy ourselves with our own creation.
M.G.P

I believe it becomes compulsive when it reaches the point where youth are detracted from everyday obligations. Constant texting in class or on the job is perhaps a sign of needless use. It has reached a point where youth are constantly checking up on the activities of friends and others for no real valid reason, but simply because they can. I can't begin to say how often I see students during class or even just out in general, cell phone clenched in hand, and before it can even get the first ring or vibrate alert off, he or she is already replying to the message. Although today's youth may live in this golden age of communication and opportunity, dependence and obsessive use of technology creates more harm than good. As sad as this is, the ability to be in constant communication and up-to-date with whatever is happening within your social click has become as essential as air to most of today's youth.
KC

YOUR ANSWERS:

Teenagers are at a crucial transition period in their lives. As a teenager, I can attest to the fact that one of our greatest challenges during this stage is trying to assume our proper position in the adult world. This comes with new responsibilities and new challenges, one of which is managing our money. Trying to prevent debt in this demographic by banning certain types of advertisements targeted at teens would only be counter-productive. As members of a very corporate society, we see countless types of ads every day. It is our responsibility to judge this media critically and to make our own decisions based on what we see. Even if mobile phone companies no longer marketed directly to teens, cell phone ads would still be visible to this demographic and teens would spend their money on cell phones all the same. In addition, ad campaigns targeted at teens are often useful to teens because they provide them with the information that they need to know for their unique situation. For example, many cell phone companies offer teen plans with more text messaging or 10 favourite people who you can call as much as you want. If these ad campaigns were eliminated, teens’ desire for cell phones would not disappear. However, they would suddenly be lacking the necessary resources to make an informed decision. They would probably end up spending more money on a plan that doesn’t meet their specific needs, which was definitely not the original goal. Therefore, I believe that companies should continue to be allowed to market directly to teens, and that the task of critically assessing this media should be each teenager’s responsibility. This provides them which a way of proving that they deserve to be treated as adults.
Maya Harel-Sterling


Youth debt cannot be entirely blamed on cell phone advertising but advertising and marketing towards youth in general. It is unfair to place the blame on mobile phone companies when the same practice is conducted across the business world. It is a well known fact that, due to the absence of financial responsibilities (bills etc.), teenagers have perhaps the largest disposable income than any other demographic. Companies therefore spend billions of dollars marketing directly to teens in an attempt to capitalize on the large liquid income of the youth market. When I reflect upon the fact that corporations are willing to spend such massive amounts of time and money on market research and advertising directed to specific demographics, knowing that despite these expenses they will still generate a profit, I worry about the ethics of their marketing and advertising techniques. This increase in advertising and marketing targeting the youth demographic has played an a key role in causing the trend in contemporary society where people, especially youth, feel the need to be up to date with the latest fashion whether it be a new cell phone or designer jeans. It is this consumer binge, indirectly caused by advertising, which has resulted in youth feeling the absolute need to purchase often useless, superficial consumer goods which contributes to youth debt. Ultimately however, it is the responsibility of the youth themselves to properly manage their budget and to not allow themselves to get swept away by today’s society’s mindless consumerism.
Mike


I personally do not see why cell phone companies shouldn't target their marketing to teen. First of all, adolescents should be aware of their budget and how much money they are up to put on their cell phone. It is not the problem of the company if they can not manage it on their own. Also, it is important to start sensitize people from a young age to take their own decisions and be responsible for their actions. If they fall into dept, they will learn to get out of it! Second of all, it is important for young people to feel security when they are out of the house. What I mean by this is that carrying a cell phone on you provides you an easy way of communicating with your parents, friends and the police for emergency cases. It can be a useful technology to carry out! To conclude, the main function of a cell phone company is to sell and it wouldn't make any sense if they had to restrict their marketing principles to a certain group of age. After all, adults too get into depts.
Elsy


In my opinion there is no problem with mobile phone companies marketing directly towards youth. It might be true that debt is a problem among teenagers and that their cellphone bills contribute to this problem. However, debt can also a problem for adults. Does this mean that when the economy is not doing well and people are losing money, that products should not be marketed towards the adult population in general? This does not happen because hopefully most adults have enough responsibility and experience not to let advertisements influence them into spending excess amounts of money that they don't have. The same phenomenon should exist among teens, since the earlier in life this lesson can be learned, the more equipped one will be for the future. If a teen's cellphone bill is causing them financial problems then the solution is for that person to learn how to handle their money more efficiently, as opposed to stopping mobile companies from marketing to teens. Even if mobile phone companies stopped marketing towards youth, other companies would still appeal to them just as much, and equally contribute to their debt.

Furthermore, it is important to consider the nature of the product we are discussing. Although many people could argue that teens spend too much time talking on their cell phones, cell phones are in fact a very practical item for teens to have. Particularly for young teens it is often important that they be accessible to their parents. The cell phone guarantees this security. Cell phones can also act as an important security measure for a teen who feels that they are in a dangerous situation and must contact somebody for help (this applies to all ages). All in all, owning a cellphone can be beneficial for teenagers and is generally a wise purchase as long as it is used sensibly. Therefore, cellphone companies are not at fault for marketing these products directly towards youth.
Priscilla Hirst


Secretly texting during class under the desk, or at any given point during the day, calling friends every other minute to see where they are or to tell them the latest gossip, checking My Space or Facebook the instant you get home or the minute you get a hold of a computer, only to check out everyone’s business and photos, logging on to MSN to chat with the same people you saw that day just so you can avoid doing your homework; this is what we do as teenagers with technology. The question is when does it become compulsive?

It’s almost impossible to find a teenager now who does not own their own cell phone or does not have their own Facebook account. Text messaging is one of the easiest and quickest ways of getting in contact with someone. It doesn’t make any noise and you can send and receive messages instantaneously! In almost all my classes, as I look around, students are discreetly texting their friends, either to pass the time from a boring class or just because they can! As a cegep student, the minute you’re on break your either texting or calling your friends to find out where you can meet up. Everyone does it and to live without a cell phone would almost seem impossible. Not to mention how difficult it would be on your social life. But isn’t that what it all comes down to? How important a social life is in youth culture today? Facebook is great example to prove it. A website designed so that you can send messages to friends and add as many people as you like. Of course you can’t forget the part where you can upload photos of yourself, state your relationship status and write important facts about your life. Is a nut shell, Facebook is gossip central. Anyone who’s on your friends list permits you to go through their photos, check your relationship status and read everything anyone writes on your wall. Youth today checks this site on a constant basis everyday. To me this is where technology has become compulsive. There are not many young adults today who can go through just one day without using the internet or their cell phone to contact friends. It doesn’t matter where they are or who they’re with because if there’s a will there’s a way and youth certainly uses technology every chance they get.
Michelle Kyle

I believe that internet messaging and text messaging has taken up a big part of youth culture today since most teens either chat or send text messages on more than one occasion every day. I think that because of the accessibility that we have to internet and to cell phones this is a great way to stay in touch with friends. It is fast, cheap and can be done literally anywhere. On the other hand, i do think that because of how easy and simple it is to use a lot of people get compulsive with it. I see everyday people constantly messaging on there phone and can not help but find it is excessive. As for internet messaging, i also think that it can easily become and obsession. If someone can not turn on a computer without logging on to a instant messaging service there obviously is a problem. I do not see any real harm it can cause apart from taking up a lot of time and interfering with more import work. I personally do not use text messaging that often but i do see how practical it can be and how some people can have a tendency to over do it.
Mika Brandl-D

I’m split when deciding whether or not mobile phone companies should be allowed to market directly to teens. I am both for and against this matter.

Nowadays most teenagers have their own part-time jobs and can afford their own cell phones. So when you look at it that way, it seems more efficient and just makes more sense to just market the product directly to adolescents. I understand that almost everyone owns a mobile phone and it has become so important in our society that it’s very difficult for many people to function without one.

However, it just seems a little absurd. It seems to me that parents always find that their children are growing up way too fast. If mobile phone companies were allowed to market directly to teens, it just seems like they would be losing a little bit of their youth in a way and would be growing up even faster. When you think about paying bills and all that kind of responsibility, most of the time, you don’t think about having to do that when you’re a teenager. I never had a cell phone until last year and I always looked at my high school friends, who have owned a cell from the time they were twelve years old or younger, and thought, “why on earth would you need a cell phone when you are twelve years old?” In this case, it would be the parents paying for it though. I guess it would makes sense as parents to buy their child a cell phone for safety reasons.

It all depends on the age group we’re talking about and the way you look at it.
Alexandra Pereira

Adolescents in Canada and the United States play an important role in their country’s economy. Most adolescents today devote several hours a week to part time jobs and many parents also provide their teenagers with an allowance. Thus, today’s adolescents have money to spend. It is certainly true, that at times, teenagers are unable to properly distribute their budget, and as a result, they are in debt. Cell phone advertisements are just one of the many ads that are exposed to youth on a daily basis. If cell phone companies were not allowed to advertise towards this demographic, then all companies should have similar treatment.
If it is believed that cell phone ads cause debt in adolescents, rather than eliminating these ads, more attention should be focused on teaching youth how to save/spend their money. If cell phone advertisements are removed, a different product will cause money problems in teens, and thus the issue of youth and debt will not be solved.
Finally, being at 18-year-old Montrealer, it is quite obvious that if teenagers want access to something, they will still find a way of getting to it; thus, a decrease in cell phone advertisements, does not necessarily mean that teenagers will stop taking interest in cell phones. Therefore, I believe that mobile phone companies should be allowed to market/advertise to teens.
Marta Cybulsky

Why would the mobile phone companies not be allowed to market directly to teens when other companies also target teens first? This is definitely not an efficient way to keep teenagers out of debts. Nothing can keep them out of debts but their own sense of responsibility and their ability to keep track of their budgets. Mobile phone companies market directly to teenagers because they are the main clients of their products. Nowadays, the economy is more or less dependent on the power of purchase of youth. If companies in general, not necessarily the mobile phone companies, feel a drop in their sales it is mostly because teenagers are encountering problems in purchasing what they wish to own. Their purpose is to satisfy the teenagers’ needs and whether they market directly to teens or not, they will still attract them with the products that are aiming to offer comfort to youth. On the other hand, a lot of teenagers have a decent income that’s only used for their own purposes and often wasted. For these teenagers, companies that are competing offer nothing but an advantageous market. This allows them to choose between a variety of products and a better service at a better price. Even though banning to market youth directly can often be thought of as a good strategy to keep teenagers out of debt, it will not be as successful as desired. Companies could apply other strategies in order to attract their clients which can tempt teenagers even more in purchasing products without having a solid financial backup.
Mina

I see no reason as to why phone companies should not be allowed to market their products directly to youth. Youths, especially ones with disposable income, should be able to gauge how much they spend on their phones and cell phone services. In most cases, the youths aren't even paying for the phones themselves. I personally do not see the link between companies advertising towards youth and youth debt.

I believe youth debt starts because of the desire for youth to have the "next big thing". Phone companies play a part in this with the way that they advertise but their products, specifically, cannot be held accountable.
Ukpong Etang

Mobile phone companies can and should be allowed to market their cellular phones and mobile plans directly to youth. I find student packages are often very affordable and advantageous; they are usually cheaper and include age appropriate features, such as unlimited texting or internet. My personal mobile plan is marketed at teens (both the owner’s manual and the customer service line feature the slang language that is associated with teenagers) and it is very affordable. For less than 20 dollars a month, I get unlimited free texting and internet, a decent calling rate, and a feeling of assurance that I will be prepared in any emergency.

It’s not the marketing of the mobile phones, or even the phones themselves that are related to youth debt, it’s youth’s penchant for excess. Owning a mobile phone with a functional plan for use in emergencies is not the same as using that same phone for long personal calls that lead to hundreds of dollars of overage. Every individual should make an effort to realize the difference between these two, and in this way, avoid debt.
Emmanuelle Glidden

I think it really depends on the age group we're talking about here. If legally, an individual can marry at the age of 16 - they should be able to sign their own cell phone contracts.

The marketing machine that targets todays youth is so large and well-funded that parents must be actively engaging their children in discussions of consumerism and media literacy.
Kristin Matte

Yes, I believe that mobile telephone companies should be allowed to market their products directly to teens. Most teens today have their own jobs, and consequently their own incomes. With their own income comes the possibility for teens to no longer be reliant on their parents to purchase products that they desire. If a teen is going to be purchasing the product, then a teen should have just as much advertisement directed at them as an adult. Both parties are potential customers and should therefore be treated with the same amount of importance to the company.

From a business stand point, it makes a lot of sense to market mobile phones directly to teens, because they represent a group of people that require the product the least. Other than for safety purposes, most teens use cellular telephones as a type of “toy” more than a necessity. A business person, who needs to be in contact with the office twenty four hours a day while traveling, requires a cellular telephone. A teenager calling their friend on the bus simply to chat does not require a mobile phone. Therefore, like most other “toys” that teenagers have, they can make their parents pay for it. Marketing these mobile phones directly to teens is not only making money off of an entirely new age demographic, but creating an early “addiction” to the product, almost guaranteeing a steady income for the mobile phone provider for years to come.

I believe that certain teenagers can handle the responsibility of a cellular telephone better than others. When using a mobile phone, regardless of age, you must use caution so that your bill does not exceed what you can afford, but to not market the product to teens merely on the basis of teen debt is absurd. If you can’t afford it, then don’t buy it, teenagers are smart enough to understand that.
Ryan

YOUR ANSWERS:

Crime is sometimes blamed on the family with poor parenting and a lack of discipline. Crime investigates the relationship between delinquency and a range of family related factors. It explores child-rearing behavior, parental discipline, the criminal histories of parents, family size and income. Children who were left unsupervised after school while their mothers went to work is one family factor that could be related to youth crime. Youth violence is escalating in Canada. More juveniles involved with crime are sentenced to juvenile court, and then sent right back to where they started. The question is, are these juveniles being treated right, are they getting the proper attention? Should they be treated like adults? Or should teenagers, no matter what the crime may be, be treated as juveniles?

Many social and cultural factors in a child's life may influence a child’s behaviors. I think that most violent teens are from lower class urban areas. Why then, do people say there is no way to prevent a juvenile from turning violent? When a child is aggressive at school or with siblings at home, they are calling out for attention. These are signs that lead to violence.

Has society just given up on teens altogether once they commit a crime? Obviously there is a pattern, and prevention is key.
Lian

I think that today's youth are not being let off the hook. Some could say that some youth that commit serious crimes are a danger to society. But that opinion is only from one point of view. On the flip side, the kids that commit these crimes are not an age of majority. This means that these kids are not old enough to make their own decisions. These kids should be able to have second chances, for in our world today, there are too few second chances. We should not just abandon these kids. Dumping them in some prison does not help them become better people. We should have more rehabilitation centers set up to help teens with their problems. After all, most teens that commit crimes come from dangerous neighborhoods or have family troubles. Do we really want to build a society built on a no-tolerance system?
Alex Magder

I believe that youth is getting off easy.

It appears that there is a bias against punishing young offenders because it is thought that they have not reached the age of reason, and they are therefore not responsible.

There are of course circumstances where a young offender may not be fully responsible for his/her actions, but I would say for the most part and especially in violent crimes, the test of their responsibility must be much more stringent and the punishment needs to be harsher.

There must be a greater effort on rehabilitation and an emphasis on offenders understanding the impact of their crimes on people's lives by facing and seeking forgiveness from their victims.
RH

This question is extremely relative, as scenarios must be weighed on a case-by-case basis. Typically, young (read: minor) offenders, I feel, have not been getting off too easy in the sense that they usually go through a process to deem whether the crime they committed and the circumstances involved necessitate an adult trial. I have yet to hear of a situation where I feel the child has been punished too harshly. No, I do not believe that 12 year olds should be spending any time in jail, but perhaps finding ways of "rehabilitating" them that do not require jail time would be the ideal situation here.
A youth who is over 18, who is able to make a decision on drinking, gambling, and now driving - he should be aware of his actions and be action should be taken accordingly. "He/She didn't know better, they're just a child" can only go so far.
Anonymous

YOUR ANSWERS:

Many young people are turned off politics because of the lack of sincerity among our politicians. You ask, what can the CBC do to make young people care? Why not address this issue directly to the candidates when the CBC reporters do their interviews? Today’s youth are much more informed than previous generations. I think politicians are missing the mark if they don’t take the opportunity to engage these young minds. Youth or any segment of the population that has become alienated and disenchanted with politics is a growing malaise that is being ignored at the peril of all concerned.
Loretta H.

To make us young people care about voting, we need to feel as though our politicians are taking our needs & interests into consideration – our needs are different from theirs. Now how can this be done?

1) The political leaders should go to Cegeps & Universities around the country to share with the students the plan that they and their parties have in store for the youth. At the schools, the leaders should also participate in forums where students can voice their wants & needs.
2) Another option is for the political leaders to create Facebook groups where the leaders invite young people to leave a message as to what they want to see from the political parties.
3) Also they need to reach their target audience (in this case young people). Since young people watch a lot of TV weekday evenings from 8pm-10pm, the politicians should air campaign commercials targeting the younger generation from 8pm – 10pm.
Anonymous

For the youth to care about voting, it often takes a society at large to care about voting. Essentially, there must be a positive and general will from the population to want to vote. This desire and interest in voting, however, is plagued by the mechanics of voting.

The voting process is fundamentally complicated in theory and in reality. Overall, most people do not truly believe that their vote alone can make a difference in the grand scheme of national politics. In general, the notion that "one person cannot make a difference" is the true problem with voting.

Therefore, a solution could be to INFORM the population, as well as the youth of the population, of simple statistics. Statistics such as the foreseeable near future and the likelihood of how and what life will consist of ten, twenty or thirty years down the line.

At the end of the day, the availability of INFORMATION is imperative for the outcome of voting. The more people will be exposed to information, the more the latter will act as a catalyst towards igniting the WILL to vote and the BELIEF that a vote can affect the outcome.

In a nutshell, to get the youth to VOTE, it would require the youth to be well INFORMED and to reinforce the concept that THEIR VOTE CAN TRULY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
JM

I think the reason why many youths don't seem to care or take an interest for that matter in voting, is that they feel largely unaffected by most of the political, economic and social issues that seem to concern older voters.

If politicians were to target youth more specifically in their election campaigns and discuss the issues that conern young people, then more of them would come out to vote.

As a student in my 20s, I rarely hear politicians discuss ways in which they will help young people in regards to education, entering the work force, student loans, etc. Thus many of my colleagues feel that they have little to gain by voting as the policies and legislation politicians will implement once in power will most likely have a minimal impact on their lives. This is not to say that the legislation passed by politicians doesn't have an impact on the lives of young people, but this is the perception at least.
Jon H.

I think a combination of the following three points is necessary:

1. Better use of the media outlets that target the youth demographic.
2. Clarity by issue not image
3. More discourse

Using the Presidential Race as a model, there are more evening ad campaigns, facebook awareness pages and political articles in entertainment and youth magazines which specifically clarify, sometimes in side-by-side grids of what each party's stance is on a particular issue. There are non-partisan websites aimed at young and first-time voters which ask multiple choice questions in a quiz format that help undecided voters choose the party that suits them best. Also, entertainment and comedy programs incorporate politics into their material, reminding those who may have not been particularly motivated by politics to pay attention.
NL

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