ABSTRACT
Concerns about the effects of digital communication on language can be traced back to the use of email and SMS text messaging at the turn of the twenty-first century. Meanwhile, in East Asia, the rapid rise of digital technologies is seen by some as a threat to the ancient tradition of handwriting. This chapter argues that concerns about the effects of digital communication on language can in most cases be construed as misconceptions, based around the concerns that adults have about young people and the impact of change on society. Deborah Cameron claims that language can often be found at the centre of media-generated moral panics. The ongoing debate over digitalese also reveals a number of misconceptions that adults have - at least those working in the media - not only about digital communication but about young people. These media reports in fact say more about adults' ideas about digital communication than they do about children's or young people's practices.
