There is growing interest in utilizing the World Wide Web for data collection. The current Internet appliance of choice to contact potential respondents is email addresses. This paper examines the applicability of utilizing instant messaging appliances to contact potential survey respondents, instead of email. The study compares response and completion rates on WWW surveys via email and instant-messaging contact lists. With 37% of online users reporting that they have used IM as a tool to contact others, such analysis is relevant. Our research pays particular attention to the applicability of instant-messaging in reference to America’s first digital generation- those individuals born between 1981- the year the IBM5150 was launched, and 1993 when Mosaic came online. With declining civic engagement among America’s young, combined with the difficulties- both ethical and methodological- surrounding the use of cell phone surveys, the applicability of instant messaging as a tool to reach America’s youngest adults is salient.