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- June 11, 2008
Survey Says Baby Boomers aren’t Internet Savvy Yet
Baby Boomers aren’t as active on the internet as one might be led to believe. According to a survey conducted by ThirdAge, Inc., more than half of boomers have never visited a social networking site. Surprising? Yes, it is to me since the vast majority of women I come in contact with on a daily basis are boomers.
But according to Third Age, Inc., 53 percent of boomers said they had never visited social networking sites; 47 percent cited concerns over privacy and having personal information on the Web; 39 percent said they’re too busy; and 32 percent see no benefit in spending time social networking.
“Boomers are using more traditional Web communication tools, such as e-mail, to keep in touch with their existing group of friends in order to share photos and, more importantly, life experience,” according to Third Age Chief Executive Officer Sharon Whiteley. “That said, boomers in general are interested in connecting and interacting with others in their community around shared interests and common issues. They relate to people sharing a similar life phase, and they trust those who have walked in their shoes.”
The survey also found boomers are “not yet” interested in: blogs, podcasts, music downloads and group gaming.
Boomers alone account for 78 million people and control more than 83 percent of consumer spending, according to the companies that produced the survey. Forty percent of the United States’ population is over 45, with 50 percent market growth projected over the next 15 years. Boomer spending will increase $800 billion to over $4.6 trillion by 2015.
One Response to “Survey Says Baby Boomers aren’t Internet Savvy Yet”
Interesting article. I’m a “youngish” boomer, and while I consider myself pretty computer savvy, I download music very little, and while I love my digital camera and download my pics, I still don’t utilize all the ways to share photos (photobucket, snapfish, etc.) and tend to want my pictures “in hand.”
I’d rather take my flashdrive to Target and print out my pics rather than change computer paper.
I do use the forums, but more for work than just to socialize.
So yeah, I’m kinda there–but I know boomers who don’t use email (I can’t fathom life without it)and/or only use their computers at work.
All I can say is…get used to it because it’s about the only way to communicate with the rest of the world.
Boomers may have a good chunk of money to contribute to the economy, but technology expects us to fall in line with it.
Soon we’ll all be carrying blackberry’s and PDAs with Nav systems (GPS built in) so it’s time to figure out all this new stuff.
Besides, learning is the best way to ward off Alzheimer’s!
~Carol O’Dell
Author of Mothering Mother: A Daughter’s Humorous and Heartbreaking Memoir
available on Amazon
http://www.mothering-mother.com
By Carol O'Dell on Jun 17, 2008