Young People and the Internet

I am highly sceptical of the so called phenomena of 'digital native'. I also think that pundits, commentators, academics and researchers should beware of generalising from the leisure habits of teenagers. For that reason, those who are about to engage in future gazing, and the debate about young people's use of the internet and new media might want to familiarise themselves with some existing investigations of web and internet use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/the_problem_with_wikipedia.png

Take a look at the Pew Foundation:

The Pew foundation in the US funds a lot of research into (North American) young people's use of the internet and social media, mostly just usage figures. Worth browsing their archives e.g. http://web.pewinternet.org/~/media/Files/Reports/2010/PIP_Social_Media_and_Young_Adults_Report_Final_with_toplines.pdf

FutureLab has funded a few studies in the UK, and have a slightly more qualitative bias.

 

David Gauntlet published and researches some interesting stuff on identity and the Internet, see for example

Identity in Cyberspace

http://ccit205.wikispaces.com/Identity+In+Cyberspace

Danah Boyd:Taken Out of Context: American Teen Sociality in Networked Publics