digital natives
Born into technology
Digital natives are people who grew up with digital technology—computers, the internet, smartphones—as ordinary features of daily life.
The term usually applies to those born after the early 1980s, contrasting with "digital immigrants" who learned these technologies as adults.
Digital natives expect information to be instantly accessible.
The concept is sometimes criticized as overstating generational tech fluency.
Handheld touchscreen computers
- appsMobile software, briefly
- touchscreensPressure-sensitive display interfaces
- streamingReal-time digital delivery
- cloud computingInternet-delivered digital infrastructure
wearables · smart devices · instant messaging · video chat · screen time · multitasking · notifications · hotspots
Those born 1981-1996
- post-millennialsGeneration after Y
- centennialsHundredth-year observances
- screenagersYouth defined by screens
Self-propagating cultural units
- hashtagsMetadata labels for posts
- influencersPeople with online sway
- selfiesSelf-taken photographs
- emojisSmall digital symbols
viral content · content creators · vloggers · streamers · TikTok · Instagram · YouTube · Snapchat
Skilled with digital tools
- multitaskingDoing several things concurrently
- troubleshootingSystematic fault diagnosis
- privacy awarenessConsciousness of personal information protection
- media literacySkill evaluating information sources
Internet-based instruction programs
- virtual classroomOnline educational meeting space
- MOOCMassive online open course
- edtechEducational technology sector
- Khan AcademyFree online education nonprofit
Duolingo · interactive learning · distance education · asynchronous learning · video tutorials
smartphones
Handheld touchscreen computers
- appsMobile software, briefly
- touchscreensPressure-sensitive display interfaces
- streamingReal-time digital delivery
cloud computing · wearables · smart devices · instant messaging · video chat · screen time · multitasking · notifications · hotspots · tablets
millennials
Those born 1981-1996
- post-millennialsGeneration after Y
- centennialsHundredth-year observances
- screenagersYouth defined by screens
memes
Self-propagating cultural units
- hashtagsMetadata labels for posts
- influencersPeople with online sway
- selfiesSelf-taken photographs
viral content · emojis · content creators · vloggers · streamers · TikTok · Instagram · YouTube · Snapchat · trending
tech-savvy
Skilled with digital tools
- multitaskingDoing several things concurrently
- troubleshootingSystematic fault diagnosis
- privacy awarenessConsciousness of personal information protection
media literacy · code-switching · adaptive learning · early adopters
online courses
Internet-based instruction programs
- virtual classroomOnline educational meeting space
- MOOCMassive online open course
- edtechEducational technology sector
Khan Academy · Duolingo · interactive learning · distance education · asynchronous learning · video tutorials
- digital culturesocial media, memes, hashtags, viral content, influencers
- digital societysocial networks, internet, internet culture, online communities, connectivity
- digital youthscreen time, smartphones, social media, apps, texting
- generation gapsgeneration gap, cultural shifts, communication gaps, youth culture
- generationsbaby boomers, millennials, Gen Z, Gen X, baby boomer
- internet usersusers, browsers, surfers, daily users, power users
digital nativesdigital immigrants
Those who adopted technology later
digital, natives, digits, digitize, digitally, digitization, digitized, digitizes, digitalis