If you need some current information about who is using new media and how then Pew Internet and American Life Project has a new report for you called, Generations 2010. This is a follow up to their Generations Online In 2009 report. I don’t really see any surprises in the report but you may find some. They highlight the fact that blogging is the only activity that is down in use among Millennials. However, they point out that the younger crowd is actually doing “blogging” via social networking sites. You also shouldn’t confuse posting onto your own blog with reading a blog. The study also found out that older demographics have increased their use of blogging.
Here’s some other summary information that I have edited and highlighted:
Millennials, those ages 18-33, remain more likely to access the internet wirelessly with a laptop or mobile phone. In addition, they still clearly surpass their elders online when it comes to:
* Use of social networking sites
* Use of instant messaging
* Reading blogs
Finally, the biggest online trend: While the youngest and oldest cohorts may differ, certain key internet activities are becoming more uniformly popular across all age groups. These include:
* Search engine use
* Getting news
* Buying products
* Downloading podcasts
Even in areas that are still dominated by Millennials, older generations are making notable gains. Some of the areas that have seen the fastest rate of growth in recent years include older adults’ participation in communication and entertainment activities online, especially in using social network sites such as Facebook. Among the major trends in online activities:
* 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%.