FRONTLINE: Generation Like

Examine the evolving, complicated relationship between teens and the companies that target them.

Thanks to social media, today’s teens are able to interact directly with their culture — artists, celebrities, movies, brands and even one another — in ways never before possible. But is that real empowerment? Or do marketers still hold the upper hand? In Generation Like, airing Tuesday, February 18, 2014 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV, author and FRONTLINE correspondent Douglas Rushkoff (“The Merchants of Cool,” “The Persuaders”) explores how the perennial teen quest for identity and connection has migrated to social media — and exposes the game of cat-and-mouse that corporations are playing with these young consumers. Do kids think they’re being used? Do they care? Or does the perceived chance to be the next big star make it all worth it? The film is a powerful examination of the evolving and complicated relationship between teens and the companies that are increasingly working to target them.