A Digital Native's Interview

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Jess is 16 years’ old and about to start A-levels in history, languages and maths. She enjoys running, rowing and socialising with friends. She also enjoys spending time on the Internet. She is based in London.

“No one I know wants to buy a product which takes a substantial amount of time to ‘decode’ and understand.”

Jess Foulds

How has the change in the music industry from CD’s to digital downloads affected you?

The move from physical products to download has greatly affected my music consumption.  Music is a lot more readily available now.  I would very rarely buy a CD as it is much easier to listen to music directly from my PC.  Because I am reluctant to pay unnecessarily for music but do not want to download illegally I primarily listen to music on YouTube.  In this way I am able to multitask on the internet listening to music whilst chatting on Instant Messenger and checking Facebook.  People are reluctant to download music legally when it is so easy to download vast amounts of music at no cost whatsoever.  There is also a much fuller range of music available. But at the same time, those people who download illegally are the biggest music fans and the most likely to buy artists’ merchandise, like clothing, and the most likely to spend a lot of their money on gig tickets and festivals. 

What is so attractive about the use of the internet for recreational activities?

I find the interactive nature of the internet a lot more appealing than the prospect of an evening passively watching TV.  The ability to control exactly what I am watching, comment on or give instant feedback to an activity I am engaged in is not possible on ordinary TV.  It’s true that the introduction of devices such as the Sky+ box have allowed consumers more control over what they watch and how they watch it but they are still not directly in charge.  With so many activities which require the user to be fully involved and engaged it can feel quite odd reverting back to something where you are taking the backseat in the control of your entertainment. 

For me, the main attraction of social networking is the use of sites like communal diaries.  For instance, Facebook allows its customers to view others’ plans and upcoming events.  You do not need to make any direct contact and are able to know exactly what is going on, what time and where!  Social networking sites also provide a platform from which to introduce yourself to the world.  It is a way of broadcasting yourself and your friends through photos, opinions and comments. 

How do you feel having grown up around technology affects your attitudes towards technology?

Sometimes I do feel branded with the automatic label of ‘tech-savvy’.  I immediately want to rebel against this stereotype, by saying there are so many things I don’t understand and do not take full advantage of, for instance not having fully explored my mobile phone and being completely lost in my attempts to write MySpace codes.  But, at the same time, technology is still an integral part of my life.  I feel an automatic response and attraction to technology.  There is a sense of dependence on technology for both work and play.  To imagine any significant period of time without any online contact seems quite a foreign concept.     

What possible problems are there with this move towards a digital world?

With so much of my life wrapped up in social networking sites, phone and IM contacts I have very little physical record of who I know and what I’ve done.  I have 78 photo albums saved on my social networking profile, almost every one containing 60 photos documenting the recent adventures of myself and my friends but if my account were to be destroyed I would have nothing to show for these memories.  The same applies to my phone and IM contacts.  People who I may have met just once and have taken contact details from would be lost without trace and with no hope of their recovery.  With this increasing dependence on the internet and virtual stores of information, if something were to go wrong it would have a surprisingly large impact on my life. 

How do you feel digital devices could be improved?

In my opinion new technology can come at a cost of losing user-friendliness and accessibility.  New devices are often far more exciting and impressive but, for me, the most valuable improvements in technology would be focused on:

0. Improving User-Friendliness – often a major issue with the introduction of new technology and the speed at which technology moves on, increasing the user-friendliness of an appliance makes it a lot more accessible to the consumer and thus a lot more attractive.  No one I know wants to buy a product which takes a substantial amount of time to ‘decode’ and understand. 
0. Increasing speed – the faster the better.  Impatience drives the obsession with instant response and immediate feedback particularly among younger people.

Is there any technology that does not interest you at all? If so, why?

I have no interest in Mobile internet mainly because I’ve always felt discouraged by how expensive it is.  Once I had discounted mobile internet I never considered its further investigation as I was happy with the existing features on my phone, making good use of the SMS and voice call features.  I feel no great urge to have constant access to the internet when I spend so much time online at home.  Often, if I am away from the computer I am with friends or engaged in some other activity.    

I have never been particularly interested in electronic gaming.  Perhaps this is because none of my friends have ever been interested in this kind of entertainment. The closest I get to any kind of gaming experience would be my attempts at the Nintendo Wii with my boyfriend and little brother.