Recent publications have highlighted a growing concern among American educators, parents, and policymakers about the increasingly ubiquitous role of computer technology in the lives of children and teenagers. These authors warn that young people are becoming "technology addicts" as they spend upwards of 10 or 11 hours a day in front of a screen. Students seem to be "passively consuming entertainment forms of the medium," yet struggle to "focus, critically think, and problem solve." The notion of students as "digital natives" has largely grown out of favor. Although today's youth may be adept at using technology for entertainment, they are not automatically able to use these tools to learn and communicate effectively. The challenge for social studies educators is to consider the proper role of technology in social studies education. Social studies educators have an opportunity and duty to work with students to develop the intellectual and emotional skills necessary to navigate the complexities of a high-tech world. Teachers can lead students to study the implications of this technology for democratic political institutions as well as social and cultural institutions. Technology can become just as much a subject of study as a means to facilitate the study.