Juveniles and the new information technologies (IT). Use or abuse?

Abstract

The very frequent use of the new information technologies (IT) by juveniles generates some degree of social alarm. However, there is little data regarding the issue and this is the aim of this research, that is, to gather more data on the frequency of IT use by young people. The study sample consists of 1,710 12-17 year old juveniles. The data points to a very frequent use of the new information technologies by this age group (6.41 hours per day). The TV is the most frequently used technological device (97.23%) and the one used for the longest time (1.96 hours). Videogames, on the other hand, have the smallest frequency of use (55.26%) and are the devices used for the shortest time (0.70 hours). Gender related differences are found. Females use the mobile phone and the Internet more often than males, who make a more frequent use of videogames than females. There are also differences related to age. The older the person, the more frequent and longer use of the Internet and the mobile phone and the less frequent and shorter use of videogames. This data is discussed below.