Young Adults Use Facebook, Mobile Tech

October 1, 2010

A substantial majority of US young adults age 12-24 use Facebook and certain types of mobile technology, according to [pdf] a new study from Edison Research.

Facebook Dominates Young Adult SocNet Use
“Radio’s Future II: The 2010 American Youth Study” indicates that 74% of young adults use Facebook to some degree. By frequency of use, this figure breaks down to 55% actively using Facebook and 19% occasionally using it. Of the remaining 26%, only 4% are unfamiliar with Facebook.

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In comparison, only 30% of young adults use MySpace, with 12% actively using it. Much higher percentages of young adults have a MySpace account but don’t use it and have deleted a MySpace account than fit these two categories for Facebook use. Unfamiliarity is also twice as high (8%).

Twitter only has a 4% active use rate and 8% occasional use rate among young adults. However, 61% have heard of Twitter but never used it, presenting significant potential for audience growth.

Facebook Time Grows
Fifty-one percent of young adult Facebook users are using Facebook more today than one year ago, with 30% using it the same and only 17% using it less. Meanwhile, only 10% of young adult MySpace users are using MySpace more today than one year ago, with 22% using it the same and a substantial 59% using it less.

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Usage trends of young adult Twitter users are more moderate, with 24% using Twitter more today than one year ago, 28% using it the same and 34% using it less.

8 in 10 Young Adults Has Cell Phone
Cell phones are by far the most popular mobile technology among young adults, with 81% having their own cell phone. It is also worth noting that 43% of young adult cell phone owners has a smartphone.

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Other popular mobile technologies among young adults include laptop computers (56%), Apple iPods (46%), and non-iPod portable MP3 players (35%). Assuming there is minimal or no overlap between owners of the two types of portable MP3 players, eight in 10 young adults also owns one of these devices.

Texting Top Teen Communication Link
Cell phone texting has become the preferred channel of basic communication among US teens and their friends, with cell calling a close second, according to findings from the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

Fifty-four percent of teens use texting daily, and texting has now overtaken the frequency of every other common form of interaction with their friends. The next-most-common form of communication, talking on a cell phone, is used by 38% of teens on a daily basis.

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