Abstract:

Teenagers are often described as insatiable consumers who are at the forefront of the development of media and communication. However, there are other sides to the story. Always being connected and available can come at high price. Based on ethnographical research in Sweden, Spain and the US, this paper explores how teenagers who are extensive users of technology actually have mixed feelings about the sheer abundance of communication and media options that they are surrounded by. Teenage attitudes towards the convergence of telecom technologies are founded in an increased need for control over technology and communication. On a larger scale, the convergence and personalisation of telephones, computers and TV devices has had a fundamental effect on interaction between teenagers and their families.