Facebook Grows Up

In a recent adgabber article, 40 percent of Facebook's audience is said to be over the age of 34. Wow. This has all happened since last September when Facebook lifted restrictions on membership to allow anyone to join. You used to be required to have a .edu email address to join.

In this terribly researched and written article by BBC news, the author points out the social divide that has occurred between users of MySpace and Facebook. The author seems shocked as to why to social networking sites could hold such different demographics. Well, if the BBC had done its research they would have known that higher class individuals prefer Facebook and lower class individuals prefer MySpace for a reason. Facebook was orignially created as a social networking site for Harvard Univiersity students. Last time I checked, most people who went to Harvard weren't lower class. MySpace was created by some guy in his basement and it was intended to include everyone. Also, because Facebook developed as a social networking site for college students, for two years it only allowed membership to college students. So, while all the high school students and the college drop-outs working at McD's were on MySpace, Facebook was getting the people who could afford a college education. Hey BBC, no wonder your findings showed a divide!

I do think it's interesting that the age divide on Facebook is happening. I thought it would be the opposite. Since membership restrictions were lifted, I thought there would be an increase in younger adults and teens who might already be on MySpace and wanted to get on Facebook too. All in all, I think this age divide could be attributed to an increase in online pedaphiles. Seriously, it's all those old guys who are 34, bald, and livin in a fantasy world.

Here are some links to articles covering the online social divide -
AdGabber
BBC News
Danah Boyd's Blog (It was referenced in a few other articles