Ages of Social Networking Users

By John Farrier in Blogs & Internet on Feb 27, 2010 at 7:09 pm

Royal Pingdom conducted a study of the age distribution of different social networking sites. It’s often middle-aged people who dominate the user bases of these sites:

Although we can’t say how this will change over time, at the moment the older generations are for one reason or another (tech savvy, interest, etc.) not using social networking sites to a large extent. This probably reflects general internet usage, but we suspect the difference is enhanced when it comes to the social media sphere where site usage tends to be more frequent and time-consuming than usual.

It is also noteworthy that social media isn’t dominated by the youngest, often most tech-savvy generations, but rather by what has to be referred to as middle-aged people (although at the younger end of that spectrum).

More charts at the link.

Link via The Presurfer

Tags: royal pingdom, social networking

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A Noun
Feb 27th, 2010 at 11:10 pm
Ha! Get off my virtual lawn!
farleyk
Feb 27th, 2010 at 11:58 pm
Perhaps, just perhaps, those not using these things are actually doing things with people. Yes, engaging in real-life, non-virtual socialization. Spending time in the physical company of their fellow humans, rather than pretending to online. You can’t look into someone’s eyes on Twitter. A Facebook update isn’t the same as talking over tea.
Ashley
Feb 28th, 2010 at 1:14 am
Using this graph to say that older generations aren’t using social networking is the same as saying younger generations aren’t using them, which is obviously false. It’s an average–thus, young and old cancel out and you end up somewhere in the middle. This graph is worthless.
theindiestonerdude
Feb 28th, 2010 at 7:41 am
I guess Bebo average age is so high because of 60yo pedofiles trying to get some teen ass

It would have been useful to know the range, the mode, and the median. As well a breakdown into quartiles, to better explain the age ranges…Yes, my Masters in Statistics is coming along swimmingly!…
Miss Cellania
Feb 28th, 2010 at 8:22 am
I belong to ten of these sites. Most didn’t require that I give my age, and the ones that did got lies.
Max Power
Feb 28th, 2010 at 10:04 am
People who don’t understand statistics ARISE!!
Max Power
Feb 28th, 2010 at 10:04 am
MY GOD I’M 22 BUT IT SAYS FACEBOOK USERS ARE 38 THAT CAN’T BE TRUE!!!!=$!$”!
Skipweasel
Feb 28th, 2010 at 4:11 pm
I’m proud to say I don’t use any of them! Some of us are still stuck in the era of newsgroups – uk.rec.sheds is where we tend to congregate. Sublimely silly and the tea’s good.
Snarlz
Feb 28th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
30′s is the new 20′s.
Jeff Marmins
Feb 28th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
lets just call it a statistical sample. It’s not a definitive study. We all know that a certain percentage of online users don’t provide an accurate age. Many do, though, and the age of those engaging in social platforms online skews higher than some conventional marketing thinking (i.e. only millenials and gen y need apply).

Most active users are not replacing real life engagement with online activity – rather, the web is being used to deepen existing connections and make new ones. (search for “face to facebook” gatherings, “tweetups” or find a group based on your interests at meetup.com)

Last, Skipweasel, I love that you’re still using a newsgroup. i spent a lot of time at various alt.rec.sci.etc…
Jill
Feb 28th, 2010 at 9:15 pm
I think all the ages are way off.

For instance, if the average age of Facebook is 38. that means for every 18 year old using it there are just as many 58 year olds too? I don’t think so.
Max Power
Mar 1st, 2010 at 5:24 am
No, that’s not what it says. See #6.
MadMolecule
Mar 1st, 2010 at 12:22 pm
That’s funny: Facebook is the only one of those I use, and I’m within a couple weeks of being EXACTLY 38.4 years old.
MrsViney
Mar 1st, 2010 at 2:52 pm
(11) Jill: That’s the thing with averages. My mother has a facebook account to keep up with the grandkids. At 80 years old, she lifts the average by a couple of 18 year olds
StopDanceGo
Mar 2nd, 2010 at 6:04 pm
My initial reaction with regard to the average age of myspace users is concerned with the common 100+ year old age bracket of users who :
1. Have no age(like bands)
2. Are character pages(Ben Franklin, Albert Einstein, etc)
3. Are people who wish to elude search(i.e. me)

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