The End of Twitter?

The problem with technology is that once something has been deemed "hot," it's most likely not (anymore). Could that be happening to Twitter?

Only 22 percent of 18 to 24 year olds have a Twitter account, compared with 99 percent of that same age group who have a social networking site like Facebook or MySpace, according to a study conducted by Participatory Marketing Network, a marketing firm that focuses on how the Internet influences consumer behavior, and Pace University. The study's researchers, not surprising, view the low-participation rate for these young, soon-to-be and just-beginning-to-be workers as a "glass-half-full" opportunity. "There is a tremendous opportunity now for marketers to develop strategies to get this important group active on Twitter too," says Michael Della Penna, co-founder and executive chairman of PMN.

Doesn't this strike you as odd? Doesn't Twitter seem like it was created for the young? Twitter is the sister of texting, and anyone who has a teenager or college-age daughter or son knows texting is about as popular as it gets.

Could it be that only 1 out of 5 18 to 24 year olds Twitter because only 1 out of 5 18 to 24 year olds value it? They clearly value other social networking sites. Are we seeing the beginning of a trend here? As these late teens and early 20-somethings grow older and begin to affect the workplace more, they will bring with them their Twitter disdain. And what does that mean for federal agencies, which are creating Twitter feeds as fast as they can?