If you thought mobile phones were an emblem of the modern world, think again. The texting thumb is fast being replaced by the tapping finger. Teenagers spend hours every day catching up on MSN Messenger — a lot can happen between leaving school and arriving home. They also log on to free online phoning services, such as skype.com, to keep bills down.

They’re a savvy lot, defined increasingly by an intimate relationship with technology. We spoke to students who received regular calls from parents struggling to turn on a new laptop or download a tricky program. “I know a million times more about IT than my parents; they can’t even open their e-mail without me,” was a common cry.

Very amusing for them; less so for parents, not used to being shown up by their offspring. It’s one thing for your teen to trump you on pop music, but this time they’re at the forefront of something that’s shaping global business strategies and personal relations.

So where does that leave the baffled adult? Either technology becomes the enemy, associated only with child porn and blamed for a generation of teenagers likely to forget that m8 was once written “mate”. Or you can befriend it. The latest research by Cambridge University shows that today’s teenagers are more literate and better able to express themselves than ever before. Adults should wise up to wikis and webcams, and join their club.

There’s not a teenager who could do homework without the internet

JONATHAN RICHARDSON: “I love the internet because it is utterly unique, there never has been anything like it and I doubt there ever will be again. It’s visual, dynamic and evolving every second. I think that the reason why it is so great is because you can do almost anything on it. You can chat, play, work, bank and research, to name but a few things.

The main thing that the internet has enhanced is shopping. People can order anything over the net and have it delivered that day or the next.

Schools also have uses for the internet. At my school parents can pay for trips and students can access their work from home.

Something else that has proved popular on the internet is the ability to trace your family tree. Many people do this and the activity is a main advertising feature on books to help people use the net.

Another great factor is that you can research basically everything on the internet: I don’t think there is a teenager in Britain who can say that they could do even half their homework without it. And who can honestly state that they have never used Google for something.

Also you can book anything without having to worry about the time of day or having to go outside in the rain and queue up for an hour before seeing someone. You can book flights, hotels, trains and even hire cars. Plus if you use a site like expedia.co.uk then you can tailor your holiday to the exact style you want. And it is not just holiday stuff that you can book: you can also book play tickets, cinema tickets, concert tickets and nowadays you can even book places in state schools.

Unfortunately, nothing is perfect, there are always people who like to ruin things for everybody. This is the reason why we have things like viruses, hackers and paedophiles in chat rooms. Some people (especially my mum) complain that the internet makes people antisocial and that eventually people will stop talking face to face. However, I don’t think such things should mar the fact that the uniqueness of the internet has revolutionised the way we live and that is why I love it!”

Just a few clicks of the mouse make my life a whole lot easier