PewInternet.org
Senior Citizens and Digital Technology
George Mason University
September 15, 2012
Lee Rainie: Director, Pew Internet Project
Email: [email protected]
Generational self-definition
Internet users – 85%
96% 93% 87%
79% 67%
40%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
Broadband at home – 66%
76% 74% 67%
58% 47%
21%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
Digital devices
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
All online adults (18+)
Cell phone 96% 95% 91% 85% 76% 63% 89%
Desktop computer 54% 68% 66% 61% 54% 31% 58% Laptop computer 73% 69% 62% 49% 39% 20% 61%
iPod or MP3 player 69% 57% 36% 24% 10% 5% 44% Game console 63% 63% 38% 19% 8% 3% 42% e-Book reader 20% 26% 19% 13% 9% 5% 21% Tablet, like iPad 28% 30% 27% 23% 17% 6% 25%
Smartphones – 46%
66% 59%
38% 27%
12% 3%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
56%
40%
25%
11% 4%
1%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
GenX (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-
65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
Download apps– 46%
Use social networking sites – 59%
82% 68%
55%
37% 24%
15% 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
318.5
197.6 155.7
85.1 78.4 42.0
0.0
50.0
100.0
150.0
200.0
250.0
300.0
350.0
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
Mean size of SNS network
Other internet activities
Internet activities – Email % of internet users
92% 92% 91% 89% 88% 82%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
Internet activities – Search engines % of internet users
95% 90% 90% 92% 88%
61%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
Internet activities – hobby or interest % of internet users
88% 84% 89% 82%
68% 61%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
Internet activities – maps or directions % of internet users
87% 82% 83% 85% 77% 74%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
Internet activities – Weather % of internet users
82% 84% 79% 86% 84%
54%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
Internet activities – health info % of internet users
77% 73% 71% 69% 63%
49%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
Internet activities – get news % of internet users
77% 82% 77% 76% 66%
45%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
Internet activities – for fun % of internet users
87% 76%
67% 63% 59% 47%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
Internet activities – buy product % of internet users
73% 70% 73% 78%
57% 47%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
Internet activities – video-sharing site % of internet users
91%
77%
62% 49%
34% 27%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
Mobile activities
Internet activities – mobile pix % of cell owners
94% 88%
81% 72%
50%
22%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
Mobile activities – texting % of cell owners
97% 92% 79%
61%
41%
10% 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
Mobile activities – access internet % of cell owners
78% 67%
46%
32%
14% 5% 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
Mobile activities – mobile email % of cell owners
66% 61%
44%
28%
13% 6%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
Mobile activities – check bank account % of cell owners
44% 31%
25% 14% 9% 5% 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Millennials (18-34)
Gen X (35-46)
Younger Boomers (47-56)
Older Boomers (57-65)
Silent Generation
(66-74)
G.I. Generation
(75+)
Other social media
Social media – Twitter % of internet users
27%
15% 12%
7%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Ages 18-29 Ages 30-49 Ages 50-64 Ages 65+
Social media – LinkedIn % of internet users
16%
25% 22%
11%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Ages 18-29 Ages 30-49 Ages 50-64 Ages 65+
Social media – Pinterest % of internet users
16%
12% 13%
4%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
Ages 18-29 Ages 30-49 Ages 50-64 Ages 65+
Social media – Instagram % of internet users
27%
8% 6%
4% 0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Ages 18-29 Ages 30-49 Ages 50-64 Ages 65+
Social media – Tumblr % of internet users
11%
4%
2% 1%
0%
5%
10%
15%
Ages 18-29 Ages 30-49 Ages 50-64 Ages 65+
Be not afraid
Thank you!
Recommended
