Young Peoples' Relationships with Online Marketing Practices: An Intrusion Too Far?

Abstract

This paper presents findings from a study comparing young peoples' relationships with 'new' digital and more 'traditional' forms of media. The study explored mediated relationships emerging in the everyday lives of older adolescent teenagers, aged 13-17. The study utilised multiple methods of inquiry, seeking out holistic depictions of young peoples' multi-media experiences, rooted in everyday lifestyles. Self-completion questionnaires were combined with mini focus groups across three diverse school types. The quantitative findings confirm that the internet was used for a diverse range of motivations, one the least powerful being commercial contact. The qualitative findings highlight the intensity of young peoples' concerns over commercial intrusion experienced online. This theme highlighted the growing conflict between marketing practitioners seeking to harness digital media for targeted communication and the uses of digital media by young people for noncommercial purposes.