Aaron Smith

Informal writing conventions - they're not just for teenagers

New state-by-state internet usage figures, courtesy of the NTIA and US Census Bureau

Barack Obama makes an early play for "YouTube moment of the 2008 campaign"

Full data sets for our Parents-Teens and Digital Footprints surveys are now posted and available for download.

More teens are creating and sharing material on the internet. 28% of online teens have blogs, up from 2004 with growth fueled almost entirely by girls. "Super communicators" rise as email fades as a tool for teens.

Internet users are becoming more aware of their digital footprint; 47% have searched for information about themselves online, up from just 22% five years ago.

Girls, teens who post photos or profiles show an increased likelihood to be contacted by people with no connection to them or their friends. Girls are more likely to report contact that made them uncomfortable.

Say what you will about the internet--it's certainly helped narrow the line between "doing something stupid" and "doing something stupid in front of millions of witnesses who will now proceed to publicly mock you."

Campaign swag and the political network effects of the internet

Despite some criticisms of the format, why are the major GOP candidates wary of the YouTube debates?