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The Big Bang: Youth and the Digital World
Friday April 8, 2011
by Daniel Weiss
A recent study reveals the average American youth now spends more than seven and a half hours a day on electronic devices such as smartphones, computers or TVs – and that’s not counting the hour and a half youths spend texting, or the thirty minutes they spend talking on their cellphones!
GENERATION M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds reveals the exploding use of media among youth over the past decade, especially on mobile platforms, and shows that many youth do not have proper safeguards to protect them from harmful content.
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There has been a huge increase in media use among young people
“Over the past five years, young people have increased the amount of time they spend consuming media by an hour and seventeen minutes daily, from 6:21 to 7:38—almost the amount of time most adults spend at work each day, except that young people use media seven days a week instead of five.
“Moreover, given the amount of time they spend using more than one medium at a time, today’s youth pack a total of 10 hours and 45 minutes worth of media content into those daily 7½ hours—an increase of almost 2¼ hours of media exposure per day over the past five years.”
GENERATION M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds
Daily media use
Among 8- to 18-year-olds, average amount of time spent with each medium in a typical day (bold numbers represent significant changes)
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|
2009 |
2004 |
1999 |
|
TV content |
4:29 |
3:51 |
3:47 |
|
Music/audio |
2:31 |
1:44 |
1:48 |
|
Computer |
1:29 |
1:02 |
:27 |
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Video games |
1:13 |
:49 |
:26 |
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Print |
:38 |
:43 |
:43 |
|
Movies |
:25 |
:25 |
:18 |
|
Total exposure |
10:45 |
8:33 |
7:29 |
|
Multitasking % |
29% |
26% |
16% |
|
Total media use |
7:38 |
6:21 |
6:19 |
Total daily media exposure by age
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8-10 – 7:51
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11-14 – 11:53
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15-18 – 11:23
Media services in the home, over time
Among all 8- to 18-year-olds, percent who live in a home with:
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|
2009 |
2004 |
1999 |
|
Internet access |
84% |
74% |
47% |
|
High-speed/wireless |
59 |
31 |
N/A |
|
Dial-up Internet access |
10 |
31 |
N/A |
|
Cable/satellite TV |
84 |
82 |
74 |
|
Premium TVchannels |
47 |
55 |
45 |
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Mobile and online media have fueled the increase in use
“Today, 20% of media consumption (2:07) occurs on mobile devices— cellphones, iPods or handheld video game players. Moreover, almost another hour consists of 'old' content—TV or music—delivered through 'new' pathways on a computer (such as Hulu™ or iTunes®).
“Over the past five years, the proportion of 8- to-18-yearolds who own their own cell phone has grown from about four in ten to about two-thirds. The proportion with iPods or other MP3 players increased even more dramatically, jumping from 18% to 76%.”
GENERATION M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds
Personal media
Among all 8- to 18-year-olds, percent who own each item:
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2009 |
2004 |
|
iPod/MP3 player |
76% |
18% |
|
Cellphone |
66 |
39 |
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Handheld video game player |
59 |
55 |
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Laptop |
29 |
12 |
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Portable CD/tape player |
16 |
61 |
Personal media, by age
Among 8- to 18-year-olds, percent who own each item:
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|
Among all |
8–10 |
11–14 |
15–18 |
|
iPod/MP3 player |
76% |
61% |
80% |
83% |
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Cellphone |
66 |
31 |
69 |
85 |
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Handheld video game player |
59 |
65 |
69 |
41 |
|
Laptop |
29 |
17 |
27 |
38 |
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Many youth are navigating this digital age without safeguards
Among all 8- to 18-year-olds, percent with each item in their bedroom:
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|
2009 |
2004 |
1999 |
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Radio |
75% |
84% |
86% |
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TV |
71 |
68 |
65 |
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CD player |
68 |
86 |
88 |
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DVD/VCR |
57 |
54 |
36 |
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Cable/satellite TV |
49 |
37 |
29 |
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Computer |
36 |
31 |
21 |
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Internet access |
33 |
20 |
10 |
|
Video game console |
50 |
49 |
45 |
|
Premium TV channels |
24 |
20 |
15 |
|
TiVo/other TV recording device |
13 |
10 |
N/A |
Media rules
Many 8- to 18-year-olds say they don’t have any rules about the type of content they can access or the amount of time they can spend with the medium.
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52% – have rules about what they’re allowed to do on the computer
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46% – have rules about what they’re allowed to watch on TV
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30% – have rules attached to video game play
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26% – have rules related to the type of music they listen to
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16% – say they have no rules about content or amount of time spent with media
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26% – have some media rules that are enforced most of the time
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39% – report some rules regarding media use, but say those rules aren’t always enforced
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Certainly this expanding media universe gives children greater access to knowledge and can help them stay in touch with distant relatives and friends. But is “hyperconnectivity” a good thing or are there hidden dangers lurking among this explosion in technology?
See also:
Hyperconnectivity and Dangers to Youth
Tips for Reducing Children’s Media Exposure
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* All research in this document comes from GENERATION M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds, published by the Kaiser Family Foundation in January 2010. The full report can be found here: http://www.kff.org/entmedia/upload/8010.pdf
Daniel Weiss is ROCK's director of research and national outreach.
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