There are more than 7 million North American children under the age of 18 on the Internet, says the Alliance for Converging Technologies, dubbing this group of kids as "The N-Gen" - as in the Net Generation, of course.

The Net Generation has arrived. These 88 million children in the US and Canada who are already combining demographic muscle with digital mastery to become a force for social transformation. This is a demographic wave of youth that is also hitting the shores of selected countries along the pacific rim and in Northern Europe. These children are at the heart of the new digital media culture. They are a new generation who, in profound and fundamental ways learn, work, play, communicate, shop, and create communities very differently than their parents.

This wave of youth coincides with the digital revolution which is transforming all facets of our society. Together these two factors are producing a generation which is not just a demographic bulge but a wave of social transformation.

Aged 0-20, N-Geners are embracing interactive media such as the Internet, CD-ROM and video games.

The Net Generation or N-Gen has arrived, writes author and consultant Don Tapscott in his book _Growing Up Digital_. He's talking about the 88 million North American kids—from babies to those just turning 20—who will have grown up surrounded by computers and digital media.