Universal McCann has released a report “ The New Digital divide”, How the new generation of digital consumers are transforming Mass communications covering topics like digital communication services, user generated content, blogs, per to peer and social networks and IPTV. The research is done on 16-49 year age group who are frequent internet users ( accessed internet 11+ times in 7 days). This represents 31% US Online population
The Executive Summary reports that there was a time when music was the great divide between generations. Today, technology has become the source of the "generation gap." A younger, tech savvy segment adopting new media platforms, with the 16-34 age group leading the way in socializing:
- The age group 16-34 is 25% more likely than ages 35-49 to use instant messenger, with over 75% of ages 16-34 currently using at least one service.
- About 40% age P16-34 belong to a social network site; this is twice the percentage of 35-49 year olds.
- Nearly 40% of are16-34 have met someone face to face after meeting on the Internet.
- Yahoo, AOL and MSN Messenger are among the top Internet services in terms of awareness and use by ages16-34.
- This is followed closely behind by social networking site, Myspace.com with 43% of 16-34′s being current users. In comparison, only 16% of 35-49′s are using Myspace.
Full report can be downloaded here
Updated by Rajiv:
Though this report is US based one can see such a similar growing trend in India as well. Just browse through Orkut (probably one of the most popular social networking sites in India with more than 1.3 million users) and Hi5.com and you will not take long to realize that the youth in India has taken to social networking in a big way. This could soon and possibly already is creating between the youth and the older generation a digital divide.
