Social Media Use Explodes

Forty-three percent of the online community now uses social networking Web sites, including Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn, according to a report released on Tuesday by the Conference Board and TNS. That figure represents a significant increase from 2008, when 27 percent of the community used such platforms.

The latest Consumer Internet Barometer report, released quarterly, surveys 10,000 households across the United States and tracks who's doing what on the Internet. The survey found that more than half of social networkers log on at least once per day, while a majority log on several times per day. The majority of users log on at home, with a quarter of them logging on at work, and 10 percent connect through their phone. The most popular social networking site is Facebook, used by 78 percent of online households, followed by MySpace (42 percent) LinkedIn (17 percent) and Twitter (10 percent), the survey found.

The survey also shows that social networking is no longer a fad among the younger generation: 19 percent of those age 55 and over use social networking sites, up from just 6 percent a year ago. Women are more likely than men to use social networking, although usage among both groups has increased dramatically among both groups over the past year.