Teens and Trends in Communications (and revolutions)

I found this graph illustrating the shocking difference in unemployment rates and age groups

The data was from 2008 and I wondered what had transpired in the two years since?

2010 2011 2012

2010 2011 2012

What I found was even more shocking. 26.2%

24.5%25.7%

2010 2011 2012

26.2%

24.5%25.7%

What is going on here? This is fundamentally the future of our nation.

2010 2011 2012

26.2%

24.5%25.7%

What is going to be the long term impact on this age group?

Let’s explore what we know about the communication behaviors of teens in the U.S.

Let’s look at what we know about their habits and behaviors.

Of course this is focused on the mobile. (That’s what I do)

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Teens-and-Mobile-Phones.aspx

Q: What communication methods do you use?% of teens who have use each communication method to contact their friends

Teens 12-17

This isn’t a surprise.

Q: What communication methods do you use?% of teens who have use each communication method to contact their friends

Teens 12-17

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Teens-and-Mobile-Phones.aspx

This is a pre-Facebook snapshot because…

Because growth like this will quickly change the communication landscape.

Top Social Media Brands by Total Audience (000) % Growth

Q: What communication methods do you use?% of teens who have use each communication method to contact their friends

Teens 12-17

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Teens-and-Mobile-Phones.aspx

An unfortunate trend for landline providers

Typical number of text messages sent per dayBroken down by mean and median number, by age and by sex.

Teens 12-17

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Teens-and-Mobile-Phones.aspx

Q: How often do you text?Teens 12-17

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Teens-and-Mobile-Phones.aspx

How does this compare to other age groups?

American teens on average send or receive 3,339 texts a month

Teen females send and receive an average of 4,050 texts per month

Teen males send or receive an average of 2,539 texts per month.

% of teen texters who send that many texts PER DAYTeens 12-17

15% of teens who are texters send more than 200 texts a day, or more than 6,000 texts a month.

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Teens-and-Mobile-Phones.aspx

What is going on with all the texting?

Q: When you text someone, why do you text?Teens 12-17

Teens 12-17 % of teen cell phone users who use texting or calling for the following purposes

Surprise! Teens are still calling too!

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Teens-and-Mobile-Phones.aspx

Teens 12-17 How often do you talk to _____ on your cell phone?

Teens 12-17 % of teen cell phone users who have used the following functions on their cell phones

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Teens-and-Mobile-Phones.aspx

Teens 12-17 % of teen cell phone users who have used the following functions on their cell phones by age

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Teens-and-Mobile-Phones.aspx

Teens 12-17 % of teen cell phone users who have done things on their cell phones by age

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Teens-and-Mobile-Phones.aspx

So what else is going on? Let’s look at what devices teens own for clues.

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Generations-and-gadgets.aspx

Percentage of US adults (18+) in each generation who own the following.

Who Owns What?

Percentage of US adults (18+) in each generation who own the following.

Who Owns What?

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Generations-and-gadgets.aspx

Percentage of US adults (18+) in each generation who own the following.

Who Owns What?

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Generations-and-gadgets.aspx

Percentage of US adults (18+) in each generation who own the following.

Who Owns What?

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Generations-and-gadgets.aspx

Comparing Q2 2009 to Q2 2010Teen Data Use

2010 2011 2012

26.2%

24.5%25.7%

So what happens when you have a large group of under-utilized, socially active youth armed with abundant technology?

What will this technologically savvy age group with plenty of time on their hands do?

• endlessly chat• spread trashy gossip • foster romance or ….

Photo by The Huffington Press.

Or, as was recently demonstrated in Tunisia and Egypt, something of far greater significance.

What do these regions share? Both have a large group of under-

utilized, socially active youth armed with abundant technology.

Recent images from EgyptNotice anything significant?

http://www.slideshare.net/interactspa/social-media-sparking-the-egyptian-revolution-in-2011-7042873

Youth in Egypt used Social Media to organize and communicate

http://www.slideshare.net/interactspa/social-media-sparking-the-egyptian-revolution-in-2011-7042873

Texting twitter updates increase until the government attempted to shut down the channel

http://www.slideshare.net/interactspa/social-media-sparking-the-egyptian-revolution-in-2011-7042873

Egypt and Tunisia demonstrated the power of social media and connected communities. What about the youth of the U.S.?It’s a subject worth keeping any eye on.

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www.graham-mcinnes.com