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Mobile Media and the Transformation of Family

Misa MatsudaChuo University, Japan

Mobile Media 2007

The University of Sydney

4th/July/2007

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1.Why focus on Japan?

highest diffusion of the mobile Internet 　　　　　↓ Future of the mobiles? Future of the societies 　　 embedded mobile media ?

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“unique circumstances”

of Japan

1.Users : boom of pagers among youth →habituation of text message exchanges

2.Competitive media : slow diffusion of PC Internet

3.Services and Carriers : not to employ the GSM and “vertically integrated model”

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Mobile media embedded societyfrom

the “uniqueness” of Japan and Japanese families

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Keitai—mobile phones

Shared moniker for mobile phones in Japan

↑

Keitai : portableDenwa : telephone

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2.Toward Keitai-managed family

Mother of 8-year-old and 10-year-old sons (on her way to pick them up from their after-school lessons): I always call to say “We're done, so we’re coming home.” Once, when I neglected to call, my husband scolded me saying, “Since you have a keitai, you could at least call!”

Author: But doesn’t the lesson always end at the same fixed time?

Mother: Yes, but even still, I always call home to announce that we’re on our way. My husband also calls from the office without fail.

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Toward Keitai-managed family

Transformation of the Japanese family

　　・ individualization　　・ communicativeness

↓Keitai as a binding agent

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Keitai for kids

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Keitai Diffusion among children

Sep. ２０００　　　 →　　 Nov. ２００５

Fifth and sixth graders in elementary school 　　　

３．０％　　　　　→　　２９．７％

Junior high school 　１５．７％ 　→ 　６５．３％

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3.Parents surveillance

via keitai

Mother of 7-year-old and 10-year-old daughters:

My daughter said to me 'Wouldn't you also feel better if I

carried a keitai?'

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Docomo’s ServiceA loud protection alarm can activate voice call and loc

ation notification functions　 Equipped with an easy-to-activate approximately 1

00 dB* protection alarm. The alarm can be set to trigger an automatic call (voice call) to a pre-registered party, and send automatic mail (Message R) with location information to an "imadoco search" subscriber.

http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/english/product/kids_phone/sa800i/features.html

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If the Security Buzzer is activated: １． the camera automatically takes a photo. ２． a call is automatically placed to a family member‘s phone (Pair Function recipient). ３． the photo and a URL for tracking the child’s movement is sent to a family member‘s phone (Pair Function recipient). ４． your child's movements can be tracked with a phone or computer using maps that are updated approximately every five minutes (minute-by-minute location marks with your child's whereabouts are displayed on the map).

　 au’s 　 servicehttp://www.au.kddi.com/english/product/lineup/a5525sa/index.html

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Parents surveillance via keitai

１． children’s commuting custom

２． penetration of the sense of “the deterioration of public safety”

３． care/control for children among a “family who educates”

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４． Mom in the pocket

Author: Is there any particular instance when you were glad you had your child carry a keitai?

Mother of nine-year-old daughter: Well, my daughter called me while she was out crying "I lost my bicycle key!" So I told her, "I'll be there right away, so wait right there." I was glad she was carrying a keitai then.

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Mom in the pocket

１． enhance “remote mothering”

２． transformation of the children’s process of independence