Born Digital

Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society has a new crop of interns each summer that work on research projects relating to the Youth and Media project. I recently discovered this great collection of videos the 2010 interns created and was inspired.

Working with the Center’s digital media producer, each intern created a video to illustrate each chapter of Born Digital by John Palfrey and Urs Gasser.

About the interns

About Born Digital

Based on extensive original research, including interviews with Digital Natives around the world, Born Digital explores a broad range of issues, from the highly philosophical to the purely practical: What does identity mean for young people who have dozens of online profiles and avatars? Should we worry about privacy issues – or is privacy even a relevant concern for Digital Natives? How does the concept of safety translate into an increasingly virtual world? Are online games addictive, and how do we need to worry about violent video games? What is the Internet’s impact on creativity and learning? What lies ahead – socially, professionally, and psychologically – for this generation?

Videos and About Born Digital description:
©The President and Fellows of Harvard College

Media Usage among T(w)eens (continued)

We continue our conversation with Mike Bloxham, whose research has documented how this generation has grown to expect true interactivity. Brands see the increasing need to adapt to this mode and are starting to learn to engage with their audience without creating an interruptive experience.

This can explain why many brands are focusing on telling a story and tuning into the emotional benefits that lie behind their products. When they manage to weave these stories and benefits into a “conversation” that is taking place in social media they can strike gold with this elusive audience.

At Ball State University Mike Bloxham led an extensive study that examined how people watch screens of all sizes, such as TV, cell phones, computers, and others. Check out this video if you would like to learn more about the research conducted at Center for Media Design:

Media Usage among T(w)eens

As Director of Research for Ball State University’s Center for Media Design, Mike Bloxham has directed numerous studies involving media consumption. I called (actually skyped) Mike to ask him a few questions about how he observed tweens and teens using media… social or otherwise.

During our discussion he talked about how tweens and teens are “natively attuned” to interactivity. From their early intro to Webkinz and Club Penguin virtual worlds, today’s tweens are remarkably comfortable with play and interactions that cross various media. This experience is informing how they view the world. As touch screen devices become the norm, many young children expect the world around them to respond to their touch or comment.

Bloxham’s research has documented how this generation can expect true interactivity. Brands will need to adapt to this mode and engage with their audience without creating an interruptive experience.

Mike Bloxham

Mike Bloxham is the former Director, Insight & Research for the Center of Media Design (CMD), Ball State University. He champions research in interactive television, eye tracking and usability testing, the Digital Home and Heathcare Facility, the Digital Middletown Initiative, and was part of the team that produced the ground-breaking Middletown Media Studies – observational research that measured the exposure of 400 people to fifteen different media and seventeen different life activities throughout the day in 15-second increments. He has worked in media research and consulting for 17 years and his clients have included Microsoft, Cablevision, BSkyB, Le Monde, Procter & Gamble, MTVEurope, Time Warner and the British Government. Mike has recently left his position at Ball State University to pursue an opportunity in the private sector.

Middle School Sexting Goes Viral

This morning an article about middle school “sexting” made the front page of the The New York Times.

At first I was wondering if the Times had gotten caught up in the media’s recent fixation with teen sexting. After reading the article and learning how may states are dealing with cases of middle schoolers allowing nude photos to get into the wrong hands, I have to admit this is a wide-spread problem. There are not clear laws in place to protect the victims of sexting. Some states have gone so far as to charge minors (12- to 16-year-old kids) with dissemination of child pornography, a Class C felony, because they took a girl’s personal message and sent it out virally.

According to a 2010 AP poll, 25 percent of teens admit to having engaged in “sexting,” where they have ether sent or received sexually explicit photos or messages. The issue is become fairly common so lawmakers, parents and schools need to think about the best way to protect young people form doing serious harm to themselves and their peers.

A middle school in Maryland had a case last year where a group of boys were charging their classmates to see nude photos of girls from the school.

There was a similar case in Westlake, Ohio.

The New York Times article has already generated 168 comments. Most readers find the prosecutor was overzealous in charging these kids as distributors of child pornography. They add that law is supposed to protect minors from adults sharing nude photos, not their own peers. However these kids are disciplined, they need to become reacquainted with the “golden rule.” How would they feel if someone did this to them?

T(w)eens go Mobile

Kids, consider a world without cell phones.

One of my favorite things about being a mom is watching my kids grow and express themselves. Today part of that expression is tied to their tech toys. I remember how excited my son was when he got his very own cell phone. It was blue and it was the first sign of his independence.

My son is not alone. For tweens and teens cell phones rule! Their devotion to mobile technology continues to increase with each passing year. As these young techies go mobile, they find that “third screen” time is merging with or even replacing computer and TV time. And the “third screen” goes with them wherever they go.

According to Kaiser Family Foundation research from 2010, most kids get a mobile phone around the time they start middle school. Text messaging reigns among mobile t(w)eens and is by far the most popular way that teens reach their friends, beyond talking face-to-face, email, instant messaging and voice calling.

Mobile provides a whole new way to communicate, learn and interact with their favorite content. So why are mobile devices being banned in most schools?

Distractions
Many schools, including those in New York City, are banning cell phones, so kids have to keep their cell phone shut off during most of the day. At least there is the bus/car/subway ride home to make up for lost time.

Unlimited texting plan, please
The average American teen sends and receives 50 or more messages per day, or 1,500 per month.
More than 31% of teens send and receive over 100 messages per day… that’s over 3,000 messages a month

SMS insights from the Pew Report that made me LOL
“My mom, she’s old school too, but she loves texting. But the only reason why I don’t text her is because I do the up-and-down letter-thingy, where you have capital words.” Ah yes, texting has it’s own rules and kids are not willing to bend them. Deal with it, mom!

How teens use their phones besides texting and talking

• 83% use their phones to take pictures
• 60% play music on their phones
• 46% play games on their phones
• 32% exchange videos on their phones
• 27% go online on their phones
• 23% access social networking sites

Mobile apps like Facebook, Pandora and YouTube are growing in popularity as more kids get smart phones. Surfing the mobile web has topped mobile gaming (meaning pre-installed) based on the 2010 data.

Summary: Most T(w)eens use their mobile phone to text, take photos, share, play games, listen to music and watch videos.

Over the past five years, the kids between eight and 18 who own their own cell phone has nearly doubled. Current estimates show that roughly 66 percent of kids from eight to 18 own a cell phone. (Source: Pew Internet, FOSI 2010)

“A Thin Line” takes on Digital Abuse

After reading about the White House Summit on Bullying Prevention I decided to check out some interesting campaigns produced by main stream media properties. MTV has a multi-platform campaign called “A Thin Line” that addresses the issue of digital abuse. The term digital abuse is meant to be broader than “cyberbullying” since texting or digital spying are just as central in how young people can be bullied with technology.

Are you playing a part in someone’s digital drama? This quiz from MTV may help you figure it out.

 

MTV is leveraging all digital platforms to spread the word about “A Thin Line.”

The MTV “Thin Line” site includes “Draw Your Line,” which features an interactive map that shows some of the positive steps being taken against digital abuse. On the map you can read about where young people have helped to disarm an online attack.

Also MTV and Common Sense Media have started a road show to promote the campaign in communities across the nation. Here is an example from Omaha, Nebraska:

Today’s teens and tweens encounter more sophisticated forms of bullying that are taking a real toll. It is really hard for parents or schools to know what is going on. They often make the mistake of thinking that it is less real, just because it is happening digitally.

More on this topic next time…

Girl Scouts introduce Killer Cookie App

Gone are the days of waiting until the local girl scout knocks at your door to buy some cookies. Now web-savvy girl scouts rely on social media and smartphone apps to deliver customers to their local girl scout cookie booth. Scouts and troop leaders hope that the introduction of app-vertising and social media will help them reach their cookie sales target of $700 million.

According to NPR, the new mobile app was introduced to avoid the troubles stirred up two years ago, when one scout in North Carolina got in hot water for posting a video on YouTube to sell her cookies.

The Girl Scouts of America have introduced this app strategy along with e-vites and Facebook messages to market their cookies. The scouts are required to team up with their parents to manage their social media marketing.

For decades girl scouts have learned salesmanship and responsibility through the annual cookie sales. Now there is an added layer of social media and mobile app marketing added to the lesson. In addition to sharpening their marketing skills, girl scout troop leaders also believe that this is an effective way to teach girls about social media and online safety. Girls have access to a complete online training kit to help them reach their sales goals.

Looking for Cookies?
The “Cookie Locator” app uses GPS (global positioning satellite) technology to find cookie sale locations. The mobile app provides information on the nearest cookie booths and lists the dates and times when booths are open. The app can be downloaded for free by searching for “Cookie Locator” in the iPhone App Store or Android Market Place. Blackberry users and any cell phone that can access the internet can visit the mobile site by pointing their phone’s browser to: http://mobile.littlebrownie.com/.