American teens using mobiles to avoid parents

Teenagers, delightful though they are, are not the most communicative of creatures. Or maybe, they are, they just speak a different language.

In an interview with CNET, Stephen Saiz, manager of consumer insight and strategy of the Walt Disney Internet Group’s North American mobile division (which is a bit of a mouthful) explained that Disney’s research has discovered that when a teenager receives a call from their parents, they tend to let it roll over onto voicemail and then reply via text.

Apparently this is because teens are not so big on ‘direct communication’ which would go some way towards explaining the ferocious texting and instant messaging habit the ‘yoof’ of today has.

Saiz went on to explain how this is encouraging the wider adoption of mobile phones and services like texting and instant messaging among parents keen to keep tabs on their flock.

We reported on another study just the other day which suggested that American adults are not so keen on texting. Does the mobile industry really move that fast?

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