Teens, the Internet, and Communication Technology
A Pew Internet guide to online teens
Kristen PurcellPew Internet & American Life Project
YALSA Pre-ConferenceJune 25, 2010
Washington, DC
YALSA
Methods
• 800 teens ages 12 to 17 and a parent or guardian were contacted by landline or cellular telephone in a nationally representative RDD survey conducted from June to September 2009
• 9 focus groups in four cities with middle and high school aged teens (ages 12-18) conducted in June and October 2009
• Joint project of the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project and the University of Michigan.
• Data from adult surveys from Sept 2009 & January 2010
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What are teens really doing online?
Commonly held beliefs about teens and technology:
• All teens use the internet• Every teen has a cell phone…and all teens text
unimaginably large numbers of messages a day• Teens have been supplanted by older adults on
social networks• Teens love Twitter• Teens are active creators of content online
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ALL TEENS USE THE INTERNET
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Digital Diversity
• Teen internet access highest among teens with… – White parents– College-educated parents– Annual household incomes above
$50,000
• Same pattern exists for high-speed access– High-speed connection means greater
engagement in online activities
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EVERY TEEN HAS A CELL PHONE
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…AND TEENS SEND AND RECEIVE AN UNIMAGINABLY LARGE NUMBER
OF TEXTS EVERY DAY
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TEENS HAVE BEEN SUPPLANTED BY ADULTS ON SOCIAL NETWORKS
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TEENS LOVE TWITTER
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TEENS CREATE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF CONTENT ONLINE
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WHAT ARE TEENS REALLY DOING ONLINE?
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Summary of Teen Online Activities
• 73% of online teens use SNS (up 50%)• 14% blog (down 50%)• 8% use Twitter• 8% visit online virtual worlds
• 38% share content online (steady)• 21% remix content (steady)
• 62% get news about current events and politics• 48% buy things online• 31% get health, dieting, fitness info• 17% get info about sensitive health topics
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Trends in Teen Connectivity
• Not all teens are online – SES matters• Cell phones leapfrog connectivity
roadblocks for low income, minority teens (and adults)
• Changes suggest a move towards mobile internet access
• Teens are not monolithic, a multi-pronged approach might be most effective
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Thanks!
Kristen Purcell
http://www.pewinternet.org
Twitter: @kristenpurcell
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