Meet Judy Jetson: How Technology is Transforming 21st Century Teens
Room Day Stage
Sunday, March 12th 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Elaheh Farmand- bluebirdescape.com
Casey Lewis- Writer, Teenfashionista
Anastasia Goodstein- Director of Viewer Created Content / Current TV, Ypulse
Dianne McGunigle- Creative Artists Agency
Why I chose to attend this panel: I do a fair bit of work in the youth market area, so I might learn something here. Also I'm a frequent reader of Goodstein's blog Ypulse.
Goodstein: Stat attack
Forrester Research survey of 5,000 north american teens 83% use IM, 25% plan to buy an MP3 player, 11 hours per week online, 20% spend 20 hours a week online, 55% of boys would rather play games than watch TV.
(Keyser) 26% of media time is spent consuming multiple media simultaneously.
57% of users are content creators (Pew)
"Teens are totally wired."
Technology is taken for granted, "it's like the air they breathe."
Farmand: 18 years old... blogging since 2002...
Lewis: 18 years old... writing online since the age of 13... blogging since 2004...
McGunigle: trendspotter
Farmand: Cell phone alarm wakes her up, takes iPod to school on the bus, email open 24/7 (not allowed to use email in school), IM chatting important for homework and idle discussion... text messaging in lieu of talking, for purposes of meeting... tv sometimes on... using the computer a lot more, not interested in TV.
Lewis: iPod alarm, on throughout the day... email checked 1st thing... uses 3 - 5 computers... always armed with cell phone to talk with friends... checks email and browses after school... works on freelance articles... blogs... homework is done last, while listening to iPod or watching TV... email is checked before bedtime... iPod used in bed.
McGunigle: Teens have to be constantly connected, tech is like an apppendage... trend is moving towards mobile.
Farmand: Started blogging because she enjoys writing... writes about everyday life... wants to connect with other people... writes about new things... looks to "big picture"... given her a chance to "speak to the world"... gets encouragement from her readers.
Lewis: Writes about fashion and popular entertainment... tries to relate fashion to the average teen... has a lot of adult readers... writes to a broad audience... chose the blog format to invite comments, have a free writing style.
Farmand: Hasn't had a "worst moment," but did lose some blog posts once.
Lewis: Her identity was once spoofed for bullying purposes.
Farmand: Avoids revealing too much personal information... thinks before she writes... is aware of repercussions from too much disclosure... writes about what she wants.
Lewis: Tries not to censor her opinions... is aware that some kids are posting stuff that will haunt them in the future...
McGunigle: Thinks teens aren't looking ahead to potential repercussions.
Goodstein: Teens are highly scheduled (unlike today's adults).
Farmand: The computer at school blocks MySpace and other sites... teachers don't want computers used for extra-cirricular activities... schools don't think highly of technology... tech limited at school, not likely to change...
Lewis: School tech is 10 years out of date... teachers are out of touch, not informed about positive aspects, about new technology... sites are blocked at school (MySpace, MSN, Facebook).
Farmand: Uses the computer all day, more than reading, "it's really addicting"... domestic issues raised by frequent computer use.
Lewis: Also has domestic issues around computer use (sharing)... cell phone bills... parents don't understand that contact with friends is mostly done with technology (no time for face-to-face interaction).
McGunigle: Teens don't like restrictions and rules... want to be able to customize and personalize sites... don't force "teen speak"... let communities expand organically... foster user creation... don't front.
Lewis: Lives in a very small rural town... "needs" the internet... reaches a world outside her local area... has had many opportunities because of her blog... computer is her "lifeline".
Q: What is an ideal online tool that doesn't exist yet?
Lewis: Wants portability in a computer, ubiquitous computing.
Farmand: Wants broader internet access.
Q: How do you filter information when doing online research?
Farmand: Teachers tell the students what good sites are ("no dot coms").
Lewis: "You can tell if it's credible or not" based on the design.
Q: What is the best way universities can engage teens?
Lewis: Likes to hear student opinions.
Farmand: Cites example of chat invitations from Universities... wants to talk to students to get the "real deal"
McGunigle: Teens trust peers.
Q: How much does your use of technology relate to your perception of sex and politics?
Lewis: Thinks the media stereotypes teens...
Farmand: "not everbody" is putting their sexuality online... media overhypes...
Lewis: Knows more about teens than adults.
Goodstein: We are in a moral panic about online communities.
Q: Is blogging past its peak?
McGunigle: MySpace looks more grassroots... "fakesters" bad, ruined Friendster...
Lewis: Loves the freedom of blogging, likes the format.
Farmand: Just wants to write... uses MySpace just to browse other people's pages, but doesn't have one of her own... doesn't think blogging is going to go away... blogging is the place to write.
Q: What are some cool ways to involve tech in the classroom.
Lewis: Would like to see a teacher blog to develop a different relationship with teachers, add comments.
Goodstein: Suggests making MySpace profiles for book characters...
Q: Are teens comfortable with directed, appropriate marketing messages?
Panelists: Yes. Don't underestimate. Don't try to think like a teen, ask a teen's opinion.
Q: Where are your friends?
Farmand: Mostly local, has online friends from America, other countries. Easier to write and type than talk face-to-face sometimes, thinks IM "solves the problem" of talking in-person.
Lewis: IM makes the global local -- all contacts in one place. IM is a secret method of communication.
Q: Do teens interact with marketing?
Lewis: Will click on the ad of a mainstream company, but is leery of inappropriate content.
Farmand: Clicks on appealling ads when she's bored.
Q: How do you deal with privacy?
McGunigle: Says teens are often more worried about what their friends might post about them.
Q: What kind of content do you buy online?
Lewis: None. Knows where to find content for free.
Farmand: None.
Q: What video sites do you visit / what video content do you use?
Lewis: Watches video posted to a blog, but doesn't go browsing for video. Thinks boys use video sites more.
McGunigal: Video content is on the rise... viral videos... mashups...
Q: Are teens looking beyond their own domain (to the rest of the world)?
Farmand: Varies by the personality of teens... sad to see so much focus on the superficial... wishes that teens and mass entertainment would look at things in a global light.
Lewis: The internet allows you to know what's going on in the world, if you want to know.
SITES: Facebook, HighFive, MySpace (and many imitators).
