SYNOPSIS
Young people today are often characterised as a ‘digital generation’ - a group whose identities are being formed in new ways as a result of the impact of new media technologies. For some, this is cause for a gloomy pessimism about the superficiality and lack of authenticity of modern life; while for others, it prompts a celebration of the apparently empowering possibilities of new media. in this article, I challenge the technological determinism of these kinds of assertions, and argue for a more socially, historically and culturally grounded analysis. I discuss some of the broader issues at stake in understanding young people's relationships with digital media, and then present an overview of current debates, organised around ten key themes. I do not seek either to celebrate or to lament: rather, I hope to provide a more cautious and balanced approach, which recognises the complexity and difficulty—but also the potential opportunities—of growing up in a ‘digital world’.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
David Buckingham
David Buckingham is a Professor of Media and Communications at Loughborough University, UK, and a Visiting Professor at the Norwegian Centre for Child Research. His work focuses on children and young people's interactions with electronic media, and on media education. His recent books include Beyond Technology: Children's Learning in the Age of Digital Culture (2007); Global Children, Global Media: Migration, Media and Childhood (2007); Video Cultures: Media Technology and Everyday Creativity (2009); and The Material Child: Growing Up in Consumer Culture (2011). Contact: [email protected]
