Teenagers of the modern age have very different lifestyles than teenagers of earlier generations. With the birth of the Internet and the rise of hundreds of new electronic gadgets, teens today are immersed in every form of technology possible. The Internet and the computer are not merely for school research anymore, but are also for entertainment. Teen chat rooms are accessible from any point in the world. Other forms of chatting like voice chat for teens and teen video chat have made long distance communication a more realistic experience.

According to the New Media and Society Journal in 2007, teenagers of today grow up with online chat and multiplayer games as a normal part of their daily lives. In Norway, youngsters starting from 10 years old are getting involved on the internet. By age 12, over 70% of them prefer to chat more than to email. As they get older into their teen years, internet and chat usage becomes more part of daily routine.

One of the most common reasons teens get online to visit teen chat rooms is to share hobbies and interests with others. Other forms of social interaction are created by teen chat. Other teenagers feel more connected with their peers this way, and relating to peers has been improved by teen video chat, voice chat, blogs, and multimedia sharing.

Some bewares about teen chat rooms, however, include cyber bullying and sexual exploitation. Social experts have studied that some teens use the internet as a means of pressuring their peers. In some cases, cyber predators pretend to be teenagers and look for interested teen girls to chat with.

Teens need a lot of motivation and encouragement both from peers and family. Teen chat is only a channel by which social growth can be achieved by a young individual. But parents still need to be vigilant and aware with what their teens are doing on the internet today.