The Information Behavior of a New Generation Children and Teens in the 21st Century

Whether they are referred to as digital natives, the Google generation, or generation M, today's youth are active consumers and avid producers of digital information. Smartphones are the new generation's communication tools, social networks are their interaction venues, and virtual environments are their new playgrounds. Researchers from a variety of disciplines have examined the significant changes in the information behaviors of children and youth and have come to the conclusion that such behavior is a multifaceted phenomenon, evolving alongside the rapid developments in information and communication technologies.

Jamshid Beheshti is an associate professor in the School of Information Studies at McGill University, Montreal, where he was the director of the school for six years. Andrew Large is CN-Pratt-Grinstad Professor of Information Studies in the School of Information Studies at McGill University and associate dean of research and graduate students in education.