The #followateen movement is in full swing, and it's time to check in and see how our teens are doing. The idea behind #followateen is simple: find a random teen on Twitter, follow him or her, and update us about their teen lives. David Thorpe (@Arr) came up with the idea back in 2011, and just a few weeks ago brought it back.
The New Inquiry's Helena Fitzgerald wonders if this is creepy. Well, madam, I did not come here to The Internet Dot Com to be called a creep just for attempting to quench the thirst of my decrepit old throat caked in the dust of three decades with the refreshing aqua vitae of joyful teen exuberance.
Fitzgerald decides that Twitter is all a big creepfest anyway, and that #followateen is okay partly because it shows the rest of us Olds how it's done:
The social internet is determined by teenagers. Our use of the medium and all its memes and codes and approved and appropriated and habituated constructions and formal devices are all adapted from the language of teenagers using the internet. The Twitter account of a 16-year-old complaining about homework and boys can be seen simply as the true and correct use of Twitter.
Let's see what everyone's teens have been up to.
My teen was worried about his tan lines yesterday but I think we are in the clear, they are all the way up on his shoulders #followateen
My teen was worried about his tan lines yesterday but I think we are in the clear, they are all the way up on his shoulders #followateen-- Luis Turcios
My teen wants a smoothie and hates everyone. #followateen
My teen wants a smoothie and hates everyone. #followateen-- Juston Payne
My teen thinks it's better to be socially awkward than awkwardly social and I wish I could ask her what that MEANS #followateen
My teen thinks it's better to be socially awkward than awkwardly social and I wish I could ask her what that MEANS #followateen-- Katie Heaney
My teen got her new flat iron today!!!!!! #followateen
My teen got her new flat iron today!!!!!! #followateen-- Madeline
OMG my teen finished her last final you guys. #followateen
OMG my teen finished her last final you guys. #followateen-- Jonathan Wegener
My teen is excited to try the new pineapple coconut Bacardi #followateen
My teen is excited to try the new pineapple coconut Bacardi #followateen-- klovespecialsauce
my teen is worried about falling asleep in class but hates coffee and energy drinks because they're 'unnatural' #FollowATeen
my teen is worried about falling asleep in class but hates coffee and energy drinks because they're 'unnatural' #FollowATeen-- Manliness
My teen spoiled New Girl for me :( #followateen
My teen spoiled New Girl for me :( #followateen-- Kevin Fanning
My teen got asked to prom by dude texting "prom??".. It was very cute #followateen
My teen got asked to prom by dude texting "prom??".. It was very cute #followateen-- Cam Cam
my #teen thinks butt size is not an indicator of attractiveness #followateen
my #teen thinks butt size is not an indicator of attractiveness #followateen-- Shani O. Hilton
My teen is applying for a summer job at some place called Zupas #followateen
My teen is applying for a summer job at some place called Zupas #followateen-- Colin Fitzpatrick
My teen is pretty upset that everybody has an opinion on Harry Styles’s tattoos. #FollowATeen
My teen is pretty upset that everybody has an opinion on Harry Styles’s tattoos. #FollowATeen-- A sloppy kisser
My teenager has only like 5 friends bc justin bieber takes up her entire life. #followateen
My teenager has only like 5 friends bc justin bieber takes up her entire life. #followateen-- Jared
my teen is done with his fucking bible homework #followateen
my teen is done with his fucking bible homework #followateen-- Pokemon Otis
My teen does not like her mom's cooking. She should probably just move out. #followateen
My teen does not like her mom's cooking. She should probably just move out. #followateen-- Cait Stuff
My teen did meth last night #followateen
My teen did meth last night #followateen-- Peter Walker Kaplan
My teen is concerned she’ll be stuck in her hometown forever. #followateen
My teen has never been so ready for summer in her life. #followateen
My teen has never been so ready for summer in her life. #followateen-- Jen
Chloe is flying by herself for the first time and pissed that the flight attendant skipped her she wants a survey #followateen
Chloe is flying by herself for the first time and pissed that the flight attendant skipped her she wants a survey
#followateen-- JulieHall
omg. my teen got her braces off today just in time for prom! #followateen
omg. my teen got her braces off today just in time for prom! #followateen-- Cate Humpage
my teen is vacationing in florida, is disturbed to find so few starbucks, and already wants to go home. :( :( :( #followateen
my teen is vacationing in florida, is disturbed to find so few starbucks, and already wants to go home. :( :( :( #followateen-- Emma Tripp
My #followateen really doesn't "like this girl"
My #followateen really doesn't "like this girl"-- Samir Mezrahi
#followateen Teen cannot contain excitement for the “The Great Gatsby” film adaptation
#followateen Teen cannot contain excitement for the “The Great Gatsby†film adaptation-- Brian Feldman
My teen thinks Jessie J's "Do It Like A Dude" music video is sooo weird. #followateen
My teen thinks Jessie J's "Do It Like A Dude" music video is sooo weird. #followateen-- Ellie Hall
My teen is mad that they're pulling students from their classes to take an all-school photo. #followateen
My teen is mad that they're pulling students from their classes to take an all-school photo. #followateen-- J Crowley
My teen thinks his feet look weird as shit and they're tripping him out #followateen
My teen thinks his feet look weird as shit and they're tripping him out #followateen-- Maciej
My #followateen really hates Mondays. In just the last hour she's been "done" and now she's "crying and eating [her] life away." #Pray4Teen
My #followateen really hates Mondays. In just the last hour she's been "done" and now she's "crying and eating [her] life away." #Pray4Teen-- Josh Fjelstad
Alert my teen crowdsurfed not once but twice tonight #followateen
Alert my teen crowdsurfed not once but twice tonight #followateen-- Jessica Roy
my teen was on snapchat for 3 straight hours. so much like us #followateen
my teen was on snapchat for 3 straight hours. so much like us #followateen-- Commish of hangin'
my teen honestly doesn't know where she stands on gun laws. hasn't made up her mind yet, on the gun law issue. #followateen
my teen honestly doesn't know where she stands on gun laws. hasn't made up her mind yet, on the gun law issue. #followateen-- Conor Tripler