It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens

Posted by Karen Kotchka

IL

Boyd, Danah. (2014) It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens. Yale University Press: New Haven, CT.

Summary

This full-length book is a well-written study that compiles and analyzes the results of on-the-ground research into how teenagers use social media.  It talks about the reasons and the ways that teens communicate and the platforms they use as well as addressing some of the dangers and problems that are real or that adults think are a problem with teens and social media.  Boyd also addresses the importance of digital literacy and how some teens are device savvy without being necessarily able to critically examine what is being put out there.

Evaluation

I thought this book was an excellent resource for any adult working with teenagers today.  It contained origianl thought as well as honest research and would be helpful to gain insight into how social media can be understood and exploited for learning.