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Going Native: The Digital Immigrant Phenomenon

Guest post by: Rob Lawson

Article Overview: If you’re reading this, and are therefore using the Internet for information or research, then you are probably a ‘digital immigrant’. Sound strange? Well, we could assume that anyone that is aged over approximately 25 years and uses the Internet on a regular basis is a digital immigrant. After all, as a general definition, you are a digital immigrant if you were not born into the ‘digital age’ of computers, the Internet, email, mobile phones and the like, but have taken on these concepts as a natural part of your everyday life. Sounds like most of us out there, doesn’t it.

Going Native: The Digital Immigrant Phenomenon

If you're reading this, and are therefore using the Internet for information or research, then you are probably a ‘digital immigrant'. Sound strange? Well, we could assume that anyone that is aged over approximately 25 years and uses the Internet on a regular basis is a digital immigrant. After all, as a general definition, you are a digital immigrant if you were not born into the ‘digital age' of computers, the Internet, email, mobile phones and the like, but have taken on these concepts as a natural part of your everyday life. Sounds like most of us out there, doesn't it.

Aquarius or native?

The concept of digital immigrants and digital ‘natives' - those born into the digital age and therefore presumably naturally adept at all things digital - is a long debated one. Some believe that the idea that certain generations are more adaptable to new technology because they were born into its already growing existence is, well, silly. These critics believe that generations can't be grouped together with one defining characteristic, just as all Virgos won't experience money issues and find new love in 2010. Yet for every critic there is an enthusiastic believer out there, adamant that those born into the digital age are of course more learned and more involved in all things digital - just as a native citizen born and raised in a certain country seems to have a much easier time with that country's culture, practices and language. Whereas an immigrant to that country may struggle with the same things as they attempt to fit in these new concepts with the already existing ones they grew up with. And surely the same goes with the Internet - sure, it's becoming increasingly user-friendly with every year, but it is also developing new web applications and concepts every year too, and those that haven't been emailing since they were 12 years old may have a little trouble keeping up.

Where do I put the stamp on this Hot Mail?

It's a bit of a common joke - teasing your mum or dad or grandma about sending blank text messages or trying to email you with their toaster. Yet funnily enough, the over 60 crowd are contributing their fair share to the overall ‘immigrant' internet usage of the world. The 2009 Digital Future Report found that 40% of people in the US aged over 66 years went online regularly. They call them the ‘silver surfers' - the older generations that are quickly becoming regulars on the ‘world wide web' scene, and can Google, chat and even tweet with the best of them. These digital immigrants are learning the ways of their new ‘habitat' as they realise it's the best and easiest mode of instant communication to keep in contact with family and friends. And of course, to state the obvious, as the over-60 group keeps refreshing itself, more of those members will have had the influence of the online world in their lives for longer.

Born To Do It

One of the biggest ‘concerns', if you like, about the digital immigrant and digital native notion is that digital immigrants are yet to fully appreciate the positive aspects of these bright young stars emerging from study and into the workforce, nearly all with an innate knack for the digital. Some believe this is because digital immigrants, although happy to pick up tricks of the online trade along their way, still have lingering memories and habits from their pre-digital days - and rightly so. These digital immigrants didn't grow up in the digital age and so have held on, some more than others, to their ‘accents' (as labeled by Mark Prensky, the founder of the terminology). And so, as a natural consequence, cannot fully appreciate the benefits of the post-digital generation, whom have hardly any memories of a time before computers and emails and mobiles and who thus bring to the table their instinctive flair for those things.

That's not to say that every single person born into Generation Y or X can be labeled a digital native. After all, there are exceptions to every rule, and there are countless numbers of 40-somethings out there that could run circles around their 18 year old children when it comes to All Things Online. But the Internet, being the fastest growing medium ever, is becoming a part of people's everyday lives at a rapid rate, and it can be safely assumed that it will only get bigger as time goes on. So it makes sense to learn this language that pretty soon, as newer generations grow up and enter the workforce, everyone will be fluent in.

Sharpen your spear

So what does this mean for you? Well, to put it simply, if you're after more business and better marketing strategies, it's time to pack up and move out of whatever non-digital land you've been residing in. The great thing about becoming a digital immigrant (and to stick with the analogy), is that there are plenty of classes and tutorials about things like language and culture to get you up-to-speed with all things digital. So it's time to shake off those generational chains that have kept you staggering around beneath the weight of ‘How can I reach online audiences?' or even ‘Twitter is definitely only for teens' for far too long. It's time to get yourself to the land of the free, and get native.

Getting your head around social media is one of the most effective ways to get the most out of being digital. Social media seems to have captured the attention of Internet users of all ages, and is an effective way of reaching those specific audiences, and assists digital immigrants and digital natives alike. Applications such as Google Wave and Mind Map are becoming great collaborative communication tools within working environments, so get learning about those too.

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Article Tags: digital immigrant, digital immigrants, digital native, digital natives, internet use, internet users, social media



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