Social networking and blogging among Canadian Internet users is not just for young adults according to a new poll by TNS Canadian facts.
Young adults are the most frequent users of social networking sites, with 83 percent of 13-17 year olds and 74 percent of 18-29 year olds having visited at least one social networking site.
Six in 10 people in their 30s have visited at least one social networking site and 45 percent of those in their 40s have done so.
Among those 50 years and older, one-third have visited a social networking site.
“Considering that sites like Facebook and MySpace did not even exist five years ago, the fact that over half of online Canadians (53%) claim to have visited social networking sites is staggering,” said Jennifer Bylok, research director at TNS Canadian Facts and author of the survey.
“Gone are the days of letter-writing and long phone calls. Today, people are posting and broadcasting the minutiae of their their daily lives, keeping friends and colleagues probably more up-to-date than they would like to be.”
Not all online Canadians are open to using sites such as Facebook or MySpace.
Around 44 percent say they don’t use social networking sites because they would prefer other options for staying in touch with family and friends.
When it comes to blogs 50 percent of Canadians use blogs, with teens and young adults between 18 and 29 the most likely to do so.
The most popular types of blogs focus on entertainment, technology and sites focused on specific hobbies.
“Canadians are increasingly using and depending on the Internet not only for information, but also for entertainment and keeping in contact with friends and family. All this suggests that companies had better be prepared to address the new expectations from consumers, and grandma should probably get a profile on Facebook,” Bylok observed.
