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

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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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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