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Citation: Hargittai, E. (2010). Digital Na(t)ives? Variation in Internet Skills and Uses among Members of the “Net Generation”. Sociological Inquiry.
80(1):92-113.

Abstract

People who have grown up with digital media are often assumed to be universally savvy with information and communication technologies. Such assumptions are rarely grounded in empirical evidence, however. This article draws on unique data with information about a diverse group of young adults' Internet uses and skills to suggest that even when controlling for Internet access and experiences, people differ in their online abilities and activities. Additionally, findings suggest that Internet know-how is not randomly distributed among the population, rather, higher levels of parental education, being a male, and being white or Asian American are associated with higher levels of Web-use skill. These user characteristics are also related to the extent to which young adults engage in diverse types of online activities. Moreover, skill itself is positively associated with types of uses. Overall, these findings suggest that even when controlling for basic Internet access, among a group of young adults, socioeconomic status is an important predictor of how people are incorporating the Web into their everyday lives with those from more privileged backgrounds using it in more informed ways for a larger number of activities.

Outline

• Introduction
• Internet Use and Social Inequality
• Hypotheses
• Data and Methods
• The Relationship of User Background, Technological Context of Use, and Experiences
• Explaining Differences in Skill
• Explaining Differences in Internet Use
• Conclusion

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Understanding Digital Diversity
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009-more commonly referred to as the stimulus package-includes billions of dollars for wiring the nation with broadband infrastructure to ensure that all Americans have access to the Internet. But does such a solely technical solution resolve the potential inequalities that may result from inequitable access to the Internet? Eszter Hargittai, communication studies and faculty associate in Institute for Policy Research, has been addressing questions such as this one in her research for the past decade. With funding from agencies like the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the NSF, she has been collecting data to look at how people's digital media uses differ across population segments.

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Blurb: In a survey of college freshmen last year, Eszter Hargittai of Northwestern University found that 10 percent had used Twitter once and never gone back, while only 4 percent used it regularly. "They're more interested in friends and not keeping in touch with the world more broadly," she explained.

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Blurb: The Pew findings are consistent with those of Eszter Hargittai of Northwestern University. In a study of 1,115 college freshmen, done less than a year ago, she found that 85 percent of those surveyed had never used Twitter, 10 percent used it once and did not go back and 4 percent were using it regularly. “They’re more interested in friends and not keeping in touch with the world more broadly,” she says.

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