Amaze, an integrated marketing and technology company, has revealed there are key gender differences in how today’s digital natives interact online.

The findings are from the second phase of the Amaze Generation study, which looks at how 10 -15 year olds’ behaviour is evolving, particularly regarding their use of Facebook.

The research shows whilst almost three quarters of the Amaze Generation currently uses Facebook, twice as many boys are using the platform than girls. The boys also use it more regularly, with 70% of the boys using the social network every day, compared to only 40% of the girls.

Boys also seem to be more interested in expressing themselves online than girls, with boys being three times more likely to update their status. The girls tend to be spectators more than contributors, preferring to ‘like’ rather than comment, and only update their Facebook status twice a week, on average, compared to the boys, who update their status daily.

With privacy and security a growing concerns for parents, it is reassuring that even though this generation is fairly open to accepting new friends on Facebook; providing they have enough mutual friends in common, they are much more aware of these issues than many give them credit for.

The Amaze Generation seem to take proactive steps to protect themselves by not sharing their personal information online and also by changing their privacy settings from default so that only friends can view their information.

Natalie Gross, managing partner at Amaze, says: “Society’s behaviour is constantly shaping and being shaped by technology. Therefore, our understanding of and insight into this evolving societal change is dependent not only on today’s knowledge, but also on an informed vision of tomorrow.

“With the Amaze Generation set to be tomorrow’s society shapers we seek to understand how tomorrow’s generation will communicate and shape future technology. The insight we gain through this unique study will provide a tool which will help us create the very best solutions for our clients.”

Additional gender differences are also apparent in the consumption of technology with girls seeming to start using technology around a year and a half earlier than boys, which goes against the popular perceptions that boys are much more ‘techie’ than girls.

Launched in Winter 2010/11, the five-year study has been closely following a group of 10-15 year olds to understand their digital selves and examine the way they interact with and are being shaped by technology over time. The full report, which includes the results from the baseline questionnaire and in-depth interviews of this up close and personal journey with today’s generation of digital natives, is available to download at http://www.amaze.com/amazegeneration/.