G one are the days of tape recorders, Walkmans and Nokias. It’s been a while since we’ve talked on corded telephones, adjusted our TV antenna or flipped a record from side A to B. These behaviours belonged to Baby Boomers and Generation X, with Millennials and Generation Z getting a mere whiff of the analogue world. But a new generation is here – one that’s characterised by digital technology: Generation Alpha. We have yet to witness just how much they’ll impact the global media landscape. NEXT GEN Instead of going back to the letter A, Gen Alpha’s title borrows from the Greek alphabet, representing a new era altogether. Coined by Mark McCrindle, a social researcher and head of McCrindle Research, Gen Alpha’s name also reflects its most definitive quality: it’s the first generation of true digital natives. Born in and after 2010, Gen Alpha has never known a world without digital technology, even from their earliest, most formative years. Their parents – usually Millennials – provide them with phones, tablets and TV screens as a means of entertainment (can we blame them?), and even their education has been substantially online, thanks in large part to the pandemic. For this reason, they’re also nicknamed Generation Glass, screenagers and – more derogatorily – iPad kids. Due to their familiarity with technology, Gen Alpha is incredibly digitally literate. That said, this likely means they also have shorter attention spans and impaired social skills compared to older individuals. Social media is inextricable from their identity, and it’s almost impossible to pry them away from their devices – an especially jarring reality for parents and educators. With over 2.5 million weekly births, Gen Alpha is on track to becoming the largest generation of all time. “They are more digital, global, mobile, social and visual than any generation before them,” says Ashley Fell, a social researcher and the co-author of Generation Alpha . Soon, they’ll be joining the workforce, attending university and making decisions that impact the wider world. We’ll likely be seeing the consequences of Gen Alpha’s technological aptitude for years to come. CREATED TO CONSUME Like Gen Z (born 1997 to 2010), Gen Alpha is exceedingly active on social media, especially TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram, while older adults are more active on Facebook and Twitter (now X). They tend to stream content rather than purchase it outright, watching video through YouTube and subscription services like Netflix and listening to audio via Spotify or Apple Music. Because they’ve grown up alongside digital technology, Gen Alphas “are tech-driven consumers, influenced by entertainment media, social media and their peers,” explains Fell.
GENERATION ALPHA ARE TECH-DRIVEN CONSUMERS INFLUENCED BY SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEIR PEERS
“Interactive and engaging media will be in, and static media will be on the way out for this generation.” She predicts that the metaverse and AI will have a continually growing presence in the global media landscape. Online gaming is extremely popular with Gen Alpha, with games like Fortnite , Minecraft and Roblox presenting opportunities to socialise with friends – and make new ones. According to Business Insider, nearly a quarter of parents said that their Gen Alpha children have friends whom they’ve never met in person. These games also serve as virtual playgrounds, having “taught this generation creativity, digital skills and that they have something valuable to contribute,” says Fell. “The platforms they have grown up with have defined them as active co- creators rather than passive consumers.” Besides fostering connections and creativity, these virtual worlds open up a range of commercial avenues for businesses. Although they may not
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