Eight in 10 teenagers (81 percent) are at least somewhat happy - 36 percent say very happy - and they list girlfriends/boyfriends, religion, friends and parents as positive influences, according to a recent OTX Research and Intelligence Group study, writes MarketingCharts.
Relationships with friends ranked highest in the areas where teens feel happy (85 percent put this category in the top two positions), followed by personal talents or abilities (80 percent)
Moreover, teens tend to be happier with how they look online (e.g., their MySpace profile) than with their actual looks - 78 percent vs. 68 percent.
A paper presented by Hal Abelson and Lawrence Lessig that explores in depth the construction of an online identity as well as issues of anonymity vs. accountability, and the social implications of creating an online persona.