First Surveillance: An Anthropology of Gen Z Parental Internet Supervision

Abstract

Technological advancements in internet communications have led to changes in how young people’s behavior is monitored and shaped in their families and schools. The debate about the impacts of the rise of internet use and the creation of a new generation of digital natives is polarized: Some believe that internet restrictions on youth are undemocratic and counterproductive, and others connect internet use to social problems among youth—such as shortened attention spans, apathy, and increased vulnerability to predatory behavior. This article analyzes life history interviews of young people that focus on their use of technology and how it is regulated by their parents. I show how the social norms associated with the digital lives of youth can vary and evolve, often in unpredictable ways. This suggests that governance efforts likely need to be dynamic and capable of changing in ways that keep pace with new forms of sociality.