Digital Natives? Myth-busting Assumptions About Young People and the Internet

More than 90 percent of people ages 12 to 29 in the United States are online. Internet governance debates and Internet policy decisions are often tied to best guarding or guiding young people, but research by respected experts has shown that there are many half-truths and false impressions being tied to the generation that some people have labeled as “digital natives.”

Among these are statements such as: “Young people are addicted to social media,” “Youth do not care about privacy,” “The Internet is a dangerous, dangerous place,” “Teens are naturally tech-savvy and adept at creating online content,” “The virtual world of online communication is isolating young people.”

How do young people really use the Internet? What are the true impacts and likely implications of their evolving uses of online tools? What issues of the digital age are today’s young people most concerned about, and how can decisions about the political, economic and social future of the Internet through governance processes best address these concerns in the future? This roundtable will bring together 10 to 12 college-age participants who will engage in a peer-moderated guided discussion and interaction with forum attendees.