Os jovens norte-americanos e os telemóveis

«A recent survey found that 80 percent of Americans ages 18 to 29 own cell phones, and 65 percent of those users send text messages on a regular basis. (...).[Allen G. Breed, “Nation Takes to Texting,” Associated Press, October 16, 2006].A vice president at the research firm M:Metrics told Advertising Age, “They [cell phone users age 13-17] are crazy for mobile. They see [a mobile device] as this little digital communicator that they can take with them wherever they go.” Bradley Johnson, “Connected and Craving: Teens Hungry for Latest Cellphone Technology,” Advertising Age ,March 20, 2006.Available online: http://adage.com/americandemographics/article.  (...)the Pew survey found differences in cell phone use among various age groups. The survey makes clear that young cell phone users—those between ages 18 and 29—have different experiences with their cell phones than do older Americans. Compared to older cell phone owners, young adults are more likely to reserve their calls until the hours that do not affect the minutes used in their rate plan; they are more likely to make spontaneous calls when they have free time; they are more likely to use a cell phone to avoid disclosing where they are; and they are more likely to feel burdened by the intrusions the cell phone brings into their lives. In addition, they are more likely to experience sticker shock when monthly bills arrive.Rainie and Keeter, “How Americans Use Their Cell Phone.”.Young people in particular are embracing forms of participatory media. Already, 33.2 percent of 18- to 24-year-old Americans post photos to Web sites via mobile phones, according to another survey.Olga Kharif, “Social Networking Goes Mobile,” Business Week,  May 31, 2006. Available at  http://www.businessweek.com/print/technology/content/may2006/tc20060530_170086.htm (...) Studies show that young consumers are among the heaviest users of premium wireless features such as messaging, game downloads, photo services, sports information, and entertainment news. Teens ages 13-17 use phone features to get restaurant and movie information at more than twice the national average.» (Lasica, 2007: 10)