But who are these digital natives? How are they different from older generations ? or ?digital immigrants? ? and what is the world they?re creating going to look like? In Born Digital, leading internet and technology experts John Palfrey and Urs Gasser offer a sociological portrait of this exotic tribe of young people who can seem, even to those merely a generation older, both extraordinarily sophisticated and strangely narrow.

Based on original research, Born Digital explores a broad range of issues, from the highly philosophical to the purely practical: What does identity mean for young people who have dozens of online profiles and avatars? Should we worry about privacy issues ? or is privacy even a relevant concern for digital natives? How does the concept of safety translate into an increasingly virtual world? Is ?stranger-danger? a real problem, or a red herring? What lies ahead ? socially, professionally, and psychologically ? for this generation?

A smart, practical guide to a brave new world and its complex inhabitants, Born Digital will be essential reading for parents, teachers, and the myriad of confused adults who want to understand the digital present ? and shape the digital future.