Social media tools will continue to play an integral role in the lives of Millennials, even as they get older, start families and take on more responsibilities, new research suggests.
The latest report by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, released Friday, is the result of a survey of 895 technology experts and Internet users. Sixty-seven percent of respondents indicated that by 2020, members of Generation Y will continue to broadcast personal information online in order to stay connected and take advantage of social, economic and political opportunities. Twenty-nine percent of respondents indicated that Millennials will have "grown out" of much of their social network use by 2020.
Some respondents indicated that new definitions of "private" and "public" information are taking place, however, and while this could influence the kinds of information Millennials will share as they age, it will not fundamentally change their willingness to share, the survey found.
Respondents also indicated in answers to the survey that new social norms that reward disclosure already are in place among the younger generation, and many expressed hope that society will be more forgiving of youthful mistakes that are on display on websites like Facebook or YouTube. Some experts said an awkward trial-and-error period is currently taking place and will continue over the next decade, as people adjust to new realities about how social networks perform and as new boundaries are set about the level of personal information that is appropriate to share, the survey found.
Brittany Ballenstedt
Brittany Ballenstedt writes Nextgov's Wired Workplace blog, which delves into the issues facing employees who work in the federal information technology sector. Before joining Nextgov, Brittany covered federal pay and benefits issues as a staff correspondent for Government Executive and served as an associate editor for National Journal's Technology Daily. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Mansfield University and originally hails from Pennsylvania. She currently lives near Travis Air Force Base, Calif., where her husband is stationed.
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