Digital Natives and Social Media
Abstract emma Conference 2013 Bournemouth University Digital Natives and Social Media An Empirical Study about the Importance of Social Media and its Impact on Media Communication
Author(s) Prof. Dr. Mike Friedrichsen Stuttgart Media University Media Business and Media Economics friedrichsen@hdm‐stuttgart.de (email for correspondence!) Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Mühl‐Benninghaus Humboldt‐University Berlin Department Cultural Studies/Arts wolfgang.muehl‐benninghaus@rz.hu‐berlin.de
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Digital Natives and Social Media
An Empirical Study about the Importance of Social Media and its Impact on Media Communication Keywords: Digital Natives, Social Media, Social Networking, Media Communication, Flow of Information, Use of Social Media Digital Natives are the generation born during or after the general introduction of digital technology. While individuals from elder generations recall organizing, planning and interacting with one another without mobile devices, computers or the Internet, Digital Natives have been using these technologies since their early years. They are the same, but different to previous generations. Digital Natives have an inherent understanding of digital technologies, as they’ve been integrated into their lives since early childhood. They are part of a tech‐savvy generation at the forefront of technological progress and want to be connected when they wish, from anywhere. Now graduated from secondary education, the first generation of Digital Natives is entering the working world – and transforming it at a fast pace. Technology has been integrated into the lives of Digital Natives since early childhood, providing them with the skills to naturally adapt to it from a young age. They have developed an innate understanding of digital and computer technologies, which have evolved into essential parts of
Author(s) Prof. Dr. Mike Friedrichsen Stuttgart Media University Media Business and Media Economics friedrichsen@hdm‐stuttgart.de (email for correspondence!) Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Mühl‐Benninghaus Humboldt‐University Berlin Department Cultural Studies/Arts wolfgang.muehl‐benninghaus@rz.hu‐berlin.de
1
Digital Natives and Social Media
An Empirical Study about the Importance of Social Media and its Impact on Media Communication Keywords: Digital Natives, Social Media, Social Networking, Media Communication, Flow of Information, Use of Social Media Digital Natives are the generation born during or after the general introduction of digital technology. While individuals from elder generations recall organizing, planning and interacting with one another without mobile devices, computers or the Internet, Digital Natives have been using these technologies since their early years. They are the same, but different to previous generations. Digital Natives have an inherent understanding of digital technologies, as they’ve been integrated into their lives since early childhood. They are part of a tech‐savvy generation at the forefront of technological progress and want to be connected when they wish, from anywhere. Now graduated from secondary education, the first generation of Digital Natives is entering the working world – and transforming it at a fast pace. Technology has been integrated into the lives of Digital Natives since early childhood, providing them with the skills to naturally adapt to it from a young age. They have developed an innate understanding of digital and computer technologies, which have evolved into essential parts of