Over-50 Flock to Facebook, Twitter
Social networking sites have attracted the over-50 set in record numbers over the past year, according to statistics revealed today by analysts at the Pew Internet and American Life Project.
Social networking use among internet users ages 50 and older has nearly doubled — from 22 percent to 42 percent over the past year. Nearly half of internet users ages 50-64 and more than a quarter of users over the age of 65 now use social media to connect with friends, families and colleagues.
Younger users ages 18-29 may have peaked ― 86 percent use popular sites including Facebook , Twitter and MySpace, a 13 percent increase compared with results reported a year ago ― but the pool of older users had room to grow. Between April 2009 and May 2010, internet users ages 50-64 grew by 88 percent, outpaced by the oldest segment whose use grew by 100 percent.
Twitter benefitted most from over-50 adoption of social media. Today, one in 10 online adults ages 50-64 and one in 20 over 65 broadcast their statuses in Twitter's 140 character limit, short and sweet.
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