You Can’t Become a Digital Native

Or, Who Owns the Social Media Jobs?

Photo credit to anyfain

Recently, I wrote about Facebook’s generation clash, in which teens are abandoning Facebook as their parents embrace it.  But, there’s another generation clash going on in social media, too; this one taking place in the professional world of digital marketing.

Last week, Cathryn Sloane, a student at the University of Iowa, wrote “Why Every Social Media Manager Should Be Under 25.”  She argued that social media was created by our generation, for our generation, and that we’ve grown up with it.  That, by virtue of being digital natives, the younger generation has an innate understanding of social media that our elders cannot grasp.

Facebook’s Generation Clash

Or, the First Time Ever that Kids Tell Adults to Get off the Lawn

Photo credit to tymesynk

When I joined Facebook, it was a place created by college kids, for college kids.  It was our own personal club house that all but had a “No Adults Allowed” sign posted on the door.  But, times have changed and now Facebook’s open to everyone (except, officially, those under thirteen).

But, just because Facebook now accepts (almost) all comers, doesn’t mean that it’s a place where its various constituent groups interact easily.  Facebook’s for high schoolers, college kids, and adults; but the high school and college kids probably wish that the adults weren’t on the invite list. 

Currently, Facebook’s experiencing a “youth flight.” High school kids are abandoning their digital homes as their parents move into the neighborhood.  They’re going to Twitter, which has yet to become generationally integrated, or at least parentally integrated.

Digital (Touch) Natives

138 - Who's iPad is it? by Holtsman

Or, why small children everywhere will soon leave us all in the dust while we’re going “Where’s the mouse?”

iPads are expensive pieces of consumer technology.  In all but a very few circumstances, they’re the ultimate objects of conspicuous consumption.  (“Oh, I saw you admiring my iPad.  Yes, I have an iPad.  You can touch it if you want.”)  So, I’d think that they’d be a kind of adults only tool right now, at least until the price falls.

But, I see little kids playing with them everywhere.  Last week a saw two brothers, ages about two and five, each carrying their own.  They (the iPads, not the kids…English needs more pronouns) were in drop-proof cases each of a different color.  Although they were clearly getting ready for a long car ride, their Mom wasn’t schlepping a big bag of stuff to entertain them, the iPads were it.  (In terms of aching backs, iPads are looking like a pretty good deal.)