UK teens and digital technology: It's a lifestyle thing.

Following on from our recent commentaries on social networking and search and time spent online by UK teenagers, comes a corollary report from MTV and Microsoft via PublicTechnology.net.

The report, published 6-August-2007, throws further light on the online and social networking habits of UK teens (strictly speaking, people aged 16–24). Report highlights are summarised below:

UK 16–24 age group and digital technology: Source – MTV/Microsoft survey.

Although the figure of 34 hours online per week might suggest a strong tech focus amongst UK youngsters, the report cautions against making the easy conclusion that this age group is heavily populated by geeks. The internet has not displaced face-to-face interactions, the report says: it has actually enhanced it. In fact, only 20% of those young people questioned ‘love technology’, with most simply enjoying the role it can play in their lifestyle, helping them to communicate with friends and be entertained.

Says Andrew Davidson, Vice President of VBS International Insight, MTV Networks International: “Young people don’t see tech as a separate entity – it’s an organic part of their lives. Talking to them about the role of technology in their lifestyle would be like talking to kids in the 1980’s about the role the park swing or telephone played in their social lives – it’s invisible. They are completely focused on the functionality and use of devices. They don’t enjoy texting, or emailing for its own sake – what they enjoy is communicating with their friends all the time.”