Denying friend requests from Great-Aunt Sally, chatting with Mom, hiding photos from Dad — all signs social media is no longer unique to younger generations.
According to a recent report from the Pew Research Center, 65 percent of adult Internet users utilize social networking sites, an increase from 61 percent last year,
It is the first time Pew Internet surveys found 50 percent of all adults online use social networking sites, according to the report.
Compared to last year, the frequency of usage of social networking sites among adults ages 50 to 64 rose dramatically from 20 percent to 32 percent, equating a 60 percent increase.
Sixty-one percent of young-adult users under the age of 30 use social networking sites on a daily basis, according to the report.
Sheri Thompson, University IT communications and planning officer, said she thinks the trend is attributed to the fact people want to maintain social networking sites.
“Those college students who were the first on [social networking sites] have graduated and are married with kids now,” Thompson said.
Thompson said social networking sites have replaced the mass e-mails people were sending out several years ago.
She said the majority of older adults use these sites to keep track of their children and to stay in touch with loved ones.
Others were introduced to social media for professional purposes such as marketing and have evolved to use social media for personal reasons.
Meghan Sanders, deputy director of the Media Effects Lab, said many businesses rely on social media, which is used for personal branding and is now also part of some job descriptions.
 
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Contact Claire Caillier at [email protected]