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| Photo: Sean Czarnecki |
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| Photo: Getty images |
Technology companies can’t take young people for granted, according to a study from Ketchum released on Tuesday.
It isn’t just older generations that are leery of
technology. Digital natives, or "techruptors," want change as privacy
concerns mount and tech leeches into every facet of their lives,
according to the agency’s Social Permission and Technology Study. In
fact, digital natives, who make up 38% of the general population, are
the most cynical because they are the most tech-savvy.
"There’s this tendency to take those early adopters and
technophiles for granted," said Sullivan, director of technology at
Ketchum. "There can be an assumption [that] the focus and attention
needs to be spent more on slower adopters. When we counsel clients with
this data, it flips that on its head."
Melissa Kinch, MD of technology, added that more studies on
this issue should be conducted by vertical market and they should look
into "stress tests" to find consumers’ tipping points.
The report did find contradictions in younger consumers’
attitudes about technology. Sixty-two percent of respondents said tech
is invaluable in their daily lives. However, despite its value, 49% said
they wish they were born in an earlier era with less technology...
More than half of respondents (55%) said technology has
made time with their children better, but 73% said they worry about
sharing family details via mobile apps. Eighty-five percent said they
are concerned about their children’s safety and 76% said they are
concerned new developments could affect their kids’ privacy and
identity.
Long-distance relationships are easier to maintain,
according to 81% of respondents, but in person, 58% said they find it
difficult to get their friends and family to put down their phones.
