The Death of Email?
by Nancy Broden
Cnet News posted a special report a couple of weeks ago on the messaging habits of teens and what that may portend in the future.
Teens are using their social networks - be they PC-based or mobile - to communicate with their friends. Email is used only when they need to communicate with adults or to manage “business relationships”. What they mean by this is that they do not use an application dedicated solely to email in order to message their friends. Messaging in the context of social networks is far more compelling than a bland, utilitarian email app.
Many teens (and adults, in increasing numbers) maintain several networks - Facebook for school friends or alumni, LinkedIn for business contacts, MySpace to meet new friends, etc. They are choosing to communicate with one group or another based on the type of network, and there is a reasonable expectation for the type of interaction based on the commonly understood purpose and nature of the network. None is this is possible using a traditional email application.
Does this behavior by teens portend the death of email? I think it’s unlikely. My own research indicates that the tools we use to communicate change along with our lifestyle or stage of life. Bland email apps, be they on the PC or mobile, will continue to serve a purpose. What I do foresee is messaging being transformed by the power of social networks and becoming a richer, more contextual form of communication.
