Summary of Key Points
This article focuses on the post-2010 generation, also known as the "Generation 10," who were born after 2010 and grew up alongside smartphones and mobile internet. They have developed their own unique social norms, language, and small communities within the online world. Initially, parents were very cautious about their children's use of the internet, but online classes have blurred these boundaries, giving them independent online identities. These teenagers use specialized jargon such as "expanding lists," "clearing followers," and "selecting favorites" to interact with each other. They seek peer recognition through creating videos, following popular influencers, and participating in group broadcasts, while also projecting their ideal selves. However, there is a significant generational gap between the parents' concerns (such as internet addiction and mental health issues) and the children's essential needs for online social interaction.
I. Getting Online: From Strict Protection to Reluctant Acceptance
The post-2010 generation started using the internet much earlier than their parents anticipated. Many of them learned to use apps like Douyin and Kuaishou through their older siblings' phones before they even owned their own devices. Parents initially tried to strictly control their children's online time; for example, middle school teacher Zhang Yanana planned to strictly manage her daughter's internet usage out of fear that she would become addicted to her phone. However, online classes became a turning point: schools required all lessons and evening studies to be conducted online, forcing parents to let go of their control.
Once they obtained their own devices, the children quickly registered for social media accounts. The reason was simple: on the internet, no one knew they were minors, and their comments and creations received a "more serious and fair" response. For instance, 14-year-old Mu Yan used her account to manage a fan club for dancers, editing videos and finding materials, acting like a little "professional blogger." Another girl, Qi Qi, started her account after the middle school entrance exam and gained over a thousand followers in three months, with a current following of 22,000. For these teenagers, the internet is no longer just a tool for learning; it has become a "secret garden" where they can build their independent identities and find like-minded friends.
II. The Language of Online Social Interaction: Children's Jargon and Unwritten Rules
The online social interactions of Generation 10 involve a set of rules that adults don't understand:
- Jargon: Terms like "expanding lists" (adding friends who share the same interests), "clearing followers" (removing inactive followers), and "selecting favorites" (publicly supporting favorite creators) are part of their unique language. These terms act as a barrier, understood only by those within the community.
- Mutual Support: Mu Yan would tag more than 30 friends to ask for likes after posting a video, and her friends would comment with "here we come" or "11" (showing support). This mutual support comes with its pressures; some friends might say, "You've already liked it, so stop tagging me," as too many weak connections can be exhausting.
- Copyright Awareness: The children place great importance on original content. Mu Yan's account clearly states that her videos cannot be reposted, and another girl, Dang Dang, demanded an official apology when Mu Yan used material licensed by her. This strict approach to copyright reflects their value for their own creative work.
III. Building Presence within Small Communities: Ideal Self and Peer Recognition
The children's activities on the internet—editing videos, following influencers, and participating in group broadcasts—are essentially attempts to feel "seen" and project their ideal selves:
- Projection of the Ideal Self: Mu Yan has been dancing since she was 3 but couldn't participate in professional dance exams due to her physique and skills. The popular dancers in her video mixtures represent the person she aspires to be.
- Symbolic Power within Small Communities: In the dance community, being a "big fan" isn't about having many followers; it's about being replied to by an influencer's mother six times. In the group broadcast community, having the host read one's ID or even getting mutual follows is considered impressive. These details may seem trivial to adults, but they are important symbols of status for these teenagers.
- Emotional Release: Mu Yan once posted about low video likes and said, "Even a casual video from a friend gets over a hundred likes, while my 3,000 followers only get 20." The support she received in the comments made her return to the internet, and she even created a fan group to offer benefits. The internet has become a place for her to release stress and gain support.
IV. Parents' Anxiety vs. Children's Needs: An Unseen Generational Gap
There is a clear conflict between parents' concerns and children's needs:
- Parents' Concerns: Research by American professors shows that the prevalence of smartphones in 2011-2012 led to a surge in depression and suicide rates among teenagers, which worries parents about their children becoming addicted to the internet. Zhang Yanana wants to strictly control her daughter's online time due to her experience with children who have been negatively affected by phones.
- Children's Needs: For Generation 10, the internet is not just an extra form of entertainment; it is a central platform for social interaction. They use it to find like-minded people, learn skills (such as video editing), and express themselves—these are all part of the developmental needs of their adolescent brains, which require peer interaction.
- The Core of the Generational Gap: Parents see the internet as a threat, while children see it as their own domain. Parents try to separate "study time" from "internet time," but for children, these concepts have merged; watching videos during breaks from classes or commenting on homework are normal parts of their daily routine.
In the end, parental control often fails, and children will integrate into the internet in their own way, as it is a means for them to understand the world and connect with others. This is similar to how parents used to play games like "jump rope" or "marble shooting" when they were young; the medium has just changed.
In One Sentence
The online world for Generation 10 is their "social playground" and "identity laboratory." Instead of strict protection, parents should try to understand that the seemingly "naive" videos and complex jargon reflect their desire for recognition, growth, and ideals. This is not a generation ruined by the internet; it's a generation that has grown up with it. Their online world requires adults to be more curious and less judgmental.