"Saatchi & Saatchi, a unit of Saatchi & Saatchi PLC, based its study on interviews by child psychologists with 84 people ages 6 to 20 across the United States. They were asked what they thought about digital media like personal computers, the Internet, CD-ROMs, video games and cellular phones and other communication devices, and how these media affected their lives. Cultural anthropologists also observed 10 families at home for 50 hours each.

"According to the agency, the digital media serve several functions for the 80 million Americans born since 1977, the largest generation in the nation's history. The media serve as toys for these young people but also provide developmental challenges. Digital media also function as a virtual hearth at home, the study said. It found that 'most families have their digital media set up in a public room of the house; consequently, a lot of digital activities are shared by the family, making these media a center of family life.'

"In addition, the study found that the new media could function as a 'cool library' for the new generation, known as Generation Y.

"Generation Y uses digital media as an extension of self socially, intellectually and emotionally," the study said. 'By extending the self in these ways, the new media help young people find their identity.'

"It concluded that digital media act as 'power tools' for Generation Y, giving them tremendous access to knowledge.

(Source: "Generation Shaped by Digital Media Presents Fresh Marketing Challenges," by Jane L. Levere, The New York Times, January 29, 1999)