There’s nothing shocking about the new Pew Internet and American Life Project report, but the information speaks volumes about the way we live in 2010. Two trends of note are the increased presence of seniors online and the decline of blogs among young people. Here are some of the main ideas:
While the youngest generations are still significantly more likely to use social network sites, the fastest growth has come from internet users 74 and older: social network site usage for this oldest cohort has quadrupled since 2008, from 4% to 16%.
The percentage of all adult internet users who watch video online jumped 14 points in the past two years, from 52% in May 2008 to 66% in May 2010.
51% of all online adults listen to music online, compared with 34% the last time this question was asked, in June 2004. While Millennials used to be by far the most avid listeners, Gen Xers and Younger Boomers are catching up.
As of May 2010, 53% of online adults have used a classified ads website such as Craigstlist, up from 32% in September 2007.
And here’s a chart to illustrate what different generations are up to online.
The perception that the elderly don’t trust technology is already on its way out—and will likely be eradicated as the population ages.
The other takeaway is that no one likes virtual worlds.
