[throwawaythekey]

I started using the internet unsupervised heavily in my tweens in the early 2000's and came across some horrendous stuff pretty early. Despite that, for me I think it's been a net positive and I would like my children to grow up in a similar environment.

The lasting qualities I think it's given me are:

- An open mindedness and the ability to examine issues from multiple angles

- A thick skin against shocking material/online forms of bullying

- A stronger understanding of how technology interacts with society/power structures

I think the country needs to be building digitally strong youth, not trying to put the genie back into the bottle.

[anal_reactor]

Nothing I have ever seen on the internet comes anywhere close to what I was dealing with IRL.