Born Digital

{{For|materials that originated in digital form|Born-digital}}

{{Infobox book

| name = Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives

| author = John Palfrey and Urs Gasser

| language =

| country =

| genre =

| publisher = Basic Books

| isbn = 978-0-465-00515-4

| title_orig =

| translator =

| image = Born Digital.jpg

| caption =

| illustrator =

| cover_artist =

| series =

| subject = Sociology

| release_date = 2008, 2016

| english_release_date =

| media_type =

| pages = 375

| dewey = 302.23/10835 22

| congress = HM851 .P34 2008

| oclc = 176895002

| followed_by =

}}

Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives is a book by John Palfrey and Urs Gasser exploring the consequences of the wide availability of internet connectivity to the first generation of people born to it, whom Palfrey and Gasser refer to as "digital natives". Issues addressed include shifts in the concept of identity, privacy, content creation, activism, and music piracy.

Born Digital has been called "a landmark sociological study of today's early adults."[http://projectinfolit.org/st/palfrey.asp Project Information Literacy at the University of Washington] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100903162357/http://projectinfolit.org/st/palfrey.asp |date=September 3, 2010 }} Retrieved 2009-09-09. Born Digital was also reviewed in ScienceScience 17 April 2009: Vol. 324. no. 5925, p. 338, {{doi|10.1126/science.117181}} and The Washington Post.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/08/AR2008100803324.html "An Optimized View," Amanda Henry, The Washington Post, October 9, 2008] Retrieved 2010-09-09. Library Journal named Born Digital one of its top Science and Technology books for 2008, the only computer science book named to the prestigious list.[http://www.law.harvard.edu/news/2009/03/04_palfrey.gasser.html Article relating the Library Journal mention in its top science and technology books of 2008] Retrieved 2010-09-09.[http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6639328.html "Best Sci-Tech Books of 2009," Library Journal, March 1, 2009] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306081040/http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6639328.html |date=March 6, 2009 }} Retrieved 2010-09-09. Two reviews in the British press (The Guardian and The Independent) have also compared the book with Nicholas Carr's The Shallows.[https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/sep/11/shallows-internet-changing-way-think Stephen Poole on two opposing views of the impact of the digital age, The Guardian, 11 September 2010] Retrieved 2010-09-24.[https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/born-digital-by-john-palfrey-amp-urs-gasserbrthe-shallows-by-nicholas-carr-2087660.html "Born Digital, By John Palfrey & Urs Gasser; The Shallows, By Nicholas Carr"], Independent, reviewed by Pat Kane, 24 September 2010 Retrieved 2010-09-24.

The book has been criticized for its use of the term "digital natives," among other things.[http://thelearnedfangirl.com/2008/09/29/book-review-born-digital/ A book review by a librarian noting the criticisms of Born Digital and use of the term "digital native"] Retrieved 2010-09-09.

The book was re-issued by Basic Books in a revised and expanded version in 2016, with a new subtitle. The 2016 edition was entitled Born Digital: How Children Grow up In a Digital Age.{{Cite book|url=https://www.basicbooks.com/titles/john-palfrey/born-digital/9780465053926/|title=Born Digital|date=June 27, 2017|via=www.basicbooks.com}} A review by Bill Shribman for the "Geek Dad" blog in 2016 said of the new edition: "The new edition brings us up to speed on everything from Snapchat to Black Lives Matter. It’s a great primer for any parent who wants a thoughtful look at just what lies ahead for any kid with a smartphone in their back pocket."[https://geekdad.com/2016/10/born-digital-a-review/ "Born Digital: A Review," Bill Shribman, "GeekDad", October 12, 2016] Retrieved 2016-11-06.