I'm continually surprised at how comprehensive the website is, I've come across a new feature every time I've explored it. I spent a lot of time reading journal posts on the open profiles. These journals are online diaries where the pregnant teens not only write about what happens in their daily life but they write about extremely personal thoughts and feelings. For example someone wrote "Hoping and wishing the lost piece is my unborn son but if its not then what?" This got me thinking about the question: would these teenagers share these thoughts in person or would they only share them online? Once I had this question in mind I wondered what the differences between online support groups and support group who meet in person were. I hope to discuss this topic further with you tomorrow by talking about the following questions.
When would you turn to a support group online rather than a support group that meets in person? Do you think support groups online are a better outlet than support groups that meet in person? Do you think online support groups are as effective as support groups that meet in person?
I remember when we first met to work our presentation, and you explained to me what you had discovered by looking at these support group websites. I was in total shock that people are that comfortable expressing their most personal feelings and experiences on the internet. But then I realized, the internet makes expressing yourself so easy because you can do it all anonymously. I find it truly fascinating to look at the different spaces that people feel comfortable in, and the fact that the internet has become one of them is a really powerful thing. One thing that I found a little troubling, though, was the way that pregnant teenagers felt so casual in talking about having a baby at such a young age. I worry that these sites may be glamorizing teen pregnancy as well.
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