Spending money online?
Entering almost any teen community the option of spending real money is getting more and more common.
This has caused some discussions in the media.
Is it stealing from kids? Or is it a reflection of how the real worlds actions are being projected into the teen’s virtual identity?
The answer will definitely depend on what audience you ask.
What do they get?
Being part of a teen community more and more of the functionalities are based on things that give the users added value. This value can be everything from extra features, to virtual items such as furniture, clothes or higher ability of expression.
The teens will in most cases not see this as something strange since they “are present” in the given community. They are not just watching a computer screen, but being physically present in the service. They will therefore not see the purchase part as something on the computer, but more like their virtual me upgrading, or getting a better experience.
The critical voices will immediately state that the teens are being exposed to fraud. “They do not get anything for their money” is the standard comment.
Is that true?
Let me give an example.
You spend x amount of money paying a ticket for the latest movie staring Jim Carrey. You purchase something to drink and a bag of candy.
After spending app. 2 hours you exit the theater with what? -2 hours of exposure to flickering pictures and something to consume – nothing more than that.
The same experience can be projected into any teen community with the only change that the time the experience lasts is typically more than just the 2 hours. The teens experience pictures on the screen but at the same time an interaction with other teens.
Therefore – the purchases made online are not just waste of money, but should be seen as purely entertainment. The users get to be part of the entertainment platform, and at the same time typically at the same time socialized with others.
Dinosaur challenges.
The older generations are getting more and more into this new way of seeing teenagers usage of the services available online.
The next step for this Dinosaur generation (also including my own) is to figure out how to make agreements to spending limit and/or restrictions to prevent the teens spending too much or anything at all (next to impossible if you ask me).
I have had this discussion with my 10-year-old son, and we have come to an agreement to how much money he is allowed spending paying with his mobile phone. When he is reaching his limit, I often get an “application” for extra donations funding his entertainment online. By having the clear limit and open discussion about where and how to spend online I am a parent in control of the situation. We avoid any situation having him spend way too much, and at the same time I have shown him interest in his doings online.
Payment online – also targeted your teens – is here to stay. Do not fight it through restrictions or frustration, but work with it – along with your teen.
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