Parenting in the time of social media

Globalization as an economic trend may be receding from view, but Netflix, a product of the globalized digital age, has unwittingly sparked a global conversation for parents with its powerful crime drama series Adolescence.

- KANIKA DATTA

Globalization as an economic trend may be receding from view, but Netflix, a product of the globalized digital age, has unwittingly sparked a global conversation for parents with its powerful crime drama series Adolescence. With 24.3 million views in its first three days, Adolescence topped the streaming service's global charts and was the most watched series in 71 countries—including India.

Series co-creator and actor Stephen Graham is bemused by this worldwide success. In an interview with Rolling Stones magazine, he said, "I got a text from a mate of mine, telling me how big Adolescence is in India. And my first response was, 'Hold on, did you say India?! Did I hear you correctly?' Apparently, it's really striking a nerve there."

Wherever you live and whether you are a parent or not, Adolescence will strike a nerve. If you have children, especially a son, approaching young adulthood, Adolescence can be disturbing and revelatory.