Digital Natives

Session organizers: John Palfrey and Urs Gasser

  There are a lot of myths floating through the ether about how
   young people use new technologies.  Does it make sense to talk
   about a distinctive global culture of young people -- Digital
   Natives -- who have only known life in a digital age?  This
   session will focus on what research does and doesn't teach us
   about what this population of young people are up to?  What are
   the great things that we wish to foster, like creativity using
   digital tools and new forms of civic activism?  What are the
   things that we should be worried about, from safety to information
   overload?  This session will explore recent research at the
   Berkman Center and elsewhere on the way that some young people use
   technologies differently -- or the same as -- those who are older.