2010 Pew Report (PDF) | 2009 Pew Report (PDF)
The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project has
released its second report on generational differences in Internet
use.
Their study says:
“There are still notable differences by generation in online activities, but the dominance of the Millennial generation that we documented in our first ‘Generations’ report in 2009 has slipped in many activities.
“Milliennials, 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 many
communication- and entertainment-related activities, such as using social network sites and playing games online.“However, Internet users in Gen X (those ages 34-45) and older cohorts are more likely than Millennials to engage in several online activities, including visiting government websites and getting financial information online.
“Finally, the biggest online trend is that, while the very youngest and oldest cohorts may differ, certain key Internet uses are becoming more uniformly popular across all age groups. These online activities include seeking health information, purchasing products, making travel reservations, and downloading podcasts.
“Even in areas that are still dominated by Millennials, older generations are making notable gains. 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 percent to 16 percent.”
