Casting aside video games, televisions and radios, the top choice of technology for youth 8-17 is the Internet, according to this report based on interviews with 248 youth. In the summer of 2000, TV edged out the Internet as first choice by 1 percentage point, but by the fall of 2001, 33 percent of youth chose the Net while 26 percent chose television.
This shift is partly seasonal. The increased importance of the Internet, suggests the report, might be attributed to homework-related needs the Net provides on top of its primary purpose for both youth and adults: communication.
Internet importance increased 7 percentage points among boys and 2 percentage points among girls, but girls still rated the telephone most important of all. Another testament to the importance of communication technology to youth: Cell phone owners among 13- to 17-year-olds increased from 13 percent to 24 percent between 2000 and 2001. 33 pages. $995. Knowledge Networks/Statistical Research, 111 Prospect St., Westfield, NJ 07090. (908) 654-4000, www.statisticalresearch.com.
