The Generations Online: Older Americans Gain Ground on Youngsters February 6th, 2009
Regina Hopper

Just when you thought Generation Y, or the “Net Generation,” was overtaking the Internet, new research from the Pew Internet & American Life Project reveals that older generations are using the Internet in unprecedented numbers.  Of course, more than half of the adult Internet population is between 18 and 44 years old.  But Pew’s surveys, taken from 2005-2008, show the largest spike in Internet usage among 70-75 year olds – which jumped from 26% in 2005 to 45% in 2008.  The most popular online activity for this age group?  No surprise: it’s sending and receiving email.

While teens and Generation Y use the Internet primarily for socializing and entertainment, older generations view the Internet as a resource.  After email and online searches, researching health information is the third most popular online activity with the most senior age group.  But it’s not all work and no play for the older generations.  The rates of video downloads have become more equal across all generations under 73 years old.  And, while only 1% of users over 73 reported downloading videos in 2005, that number climbed to 13% in 2008.  Online travel reservations are also now crossing generational lines, and online shopping has taken hold of 56% of Internet users ages 64-72.

Despite the fact that older generations are gaining ground on Internet terrain, there are clear generational gaps when it comes to some online activities.  Teens and Generation Y, for example, are far more likely to engage in online games and virtual worlds, to instant message friends, or to download music.  Blogs and social networking sites are most prevalent among the 12-32 year old crowd.  And online shopping and banking remains dominated by Generation X.

What’s helping this increased Internet usage across all generations?  For one thing, broadband access has doubled for many age groups, and tripled in the oldest groups.  High-speed connections make it easier to access an array of online activities, and convenience could be a factor as well.  According to Pew’s 2008 study, home broadband connections are now more equally accessed by all age groups, and 70% of users over 75 years old have high-speed access.  And with the growing awareness of the vast benefits of broadband, no doubt Internet activity – for all generations — will only continue to rise.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 6th, 2009 at 3:04 pm and is filed under Reports and Studies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.