The Gift of the Gab?: A Design OrientedSociology of Young People's Use of Mobiles

  • Authors:
  • Alex S. Taylor;Richard Harper

  • Affiliations:
  • Digital World Research Centre, University of Surrey, Guildford GU12 7XH, England, UK (E-mail: alex.taylor@surrey.ac.uk&semi/ Phone: +44 (0)1483 259446&semi/ Fax +44 (0)1483 259550 ...;Digital World Research Centre, University of Surrey, Guildford GU12 7XH, England, UK

  • Venue:
  • Computer Supported Cooperative Work
  • Year:
  • 2003

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Abstract

This paper reports ethnographically informedobservations of the use of mobile phones andtext messaging services amongst young people.It offers a sociological explanation for thepopularity of text messaging and for thesharing of mobile phones between co-proximatepersons. Specifically, it reveals that youngpeople use mobile phone content and the phonesthemselves to participate in the practices ofgift exchange. By viewing mobile phone use inthis way, the paper suggests a number ofpossibilities for future phone-basedapplications and supporting hardware.