Taylor, Alex S.Harper, Richard2020-06-062020-06-06200337865http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1025091532662https://dl.eusset.eu/handle/20.500.12015/3619This paper reports ethnographically informedobservations of the use of mobile phones andtext messaging services amongst young people.It offers a sociological explanation for thepopularity of text messaging and for thesharing of mobile phones between co-proximatepersons. Specifically, it reveals that youngpeople use mobile phone content and the phonesthemselves to participate in the practices ofgift exchange. By viewing mobile phone use inthis way, the paper suggests a number ofpossibilities for future phone-basedapplications and supporting hardware.designethnographymobile phonesmobilesphonesshort messagingSMSteenagerstexterstextingyoung peopleText/Journal Article10.1023/A:10250915326621573-7551