“Clickerati.” “Connexity Generation.” “Net Generation.” “Generation I.” Each of these terms has been attached to U.S. youth in recent years (e.g., Foley, 2000; Thompson, 1999) and for good reason. Today's kids have never known a world without video games and personal computers. One recent study finds that only 1 percent of 15- to 17-year-olds have never used a computer (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2001). We doubt that the same can be said for people in their 30s or older. Although many of us work and play differently since the introduction of personal computers, for today's kids “different” does not apply. They have always known digital media; they have trouble imagining a world without them – even kids who on most days typically spend little or no time with a mouse or on-line. If we are to understand the implications of growing up digitally, we need to know who is using interactive media and how.

This chapter explores children's use of computers and video games. We emphasize computers because the evidence from both this study and other recent work (Center for Media Education, 2001; Lenhart, Rainie & Lewis, 2001; National Public Radio, Kaiser Family Foundation, & Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, 2000; Wartella, O'Keefe, & Scantlin, 2000) indicates they are moving inexorably to center stage of young people's media experience. For the most part, we focus on “recreational” computer use – interactive activities occurring primarily outside the school (or work) context: computer games, e-mail, chat rooms, surfing the Web. We also attempt to take note of evidence that the digital landscape is rapidly changing. For example, in the brief interval since data for this study were collected, instant messaging has emerged to become a major factor in teenagers' digital experience. Unfortunately, we collected no data on that particular computer activity. Because the digital landscape is changing so rapidly, we have tried to incorporate findings from some more recent research into our discussion of young people's use of interactive media. In the following pages we begin with a brief discussion of U.S. youths' access to computers.