Examining the Impacts of Internet on Families with Adolescents

Family is a relatively closed social system with penetrable borders infiltrated by the Internet. The penetration of the technological innovations into families has created changes in social norms and roles. Adolescents typically make friendship with peers and get involved in social relationships. The present study aims to give insights into adolescents and their parents’ opinion on such issues as family borders, parental power, adolescents’ autonomy, and examine parental mediation in adolescents’ usage of the Internet. The findings of this study indicate that usage of information and communication technologies exposes adolescents to unlimited and unnecessary volume of information on any subject, anytime and anywhere. It also reveals that children and adolescents access to pornography through the Internet has become easier than through traditional media. Further results are as follows: those adolescents who feel closer to their parents are more successful in the school; the Internet reduces the time of interaction between parents and their children; the time allocated to family members has negative relationship with familial conflicts.