Millennials will benefit and suffer due to hyperconnected lives
on March 1st, 2012 at 8:00 am
Pew Internet & American Life Project
While experts see many young people becoming nimble analysts and decision-makers because of their embrace of the networked world, they also warn that some constantly-connected teens and young adults will lack deep engagement with people and knowledge by being hyperconnected.
These are among the findings of an online survey of technology stakeholders and critics about the future of the internet who were asked whether the always-on connection to people and information among the younger generation (those under 35) will turn out to be a net positive or a net negative by 2020.
Opinion was divided on the impact of hyperconnectivity.
Some of those surveyed saw the positive side: The young are learning more and they are becoming more adept at finding answers to deep questions, in part because they can search effectively and access collective intelligence via the internet. Others saw the negative: Hyperconnected young people do not retain information; they spend most of their energy sharing short social messages, being entertained, and being too distracted to engage deeply with people and knowledge.
Read the full report for more comments from the experts on the hyperconnectivity question, their recommendations and their predictions for the future.
