If you think social media is just for young people, it's time to recalibrate. According to a new study from the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project, social-networking use by those 50 years old and up has nearly doubled in the last year.

The rapid growth of older users in social media could have a long-term effect on the development of those services, and on the approaches by various industries who use social media for marketing and sales.

47 Percent for Users 50-64

The report, released Friday, said social-networking use among people aged 50-64 grew from 25 percent to 47 percent, an 88 percent increase, from April 2009 to this past May. Use by those over age 65 doubled, to 26 percent from 13 percent. Contrast this to a healthy but much smaller growth among users aged 18-29 -- 86 percent from 76 percent.

While usage zoomed up to about 67 percent in 2007 for the 18-29 set, it started more gradually for older groups. By May 2008, for instance, the 30-49 group was only 25 percent, the 50-64 group made up about 11 percent, and those over 65 were seven percent. But, since then, the rates of increase for the older groups have exceeded the 18-29 group.

Mary Madden, a senior research specialist at Pew and the report's author, said that while young adults "continue to be the heaviest users of social media," the segment's growth "pales in comparison with recent gains made by older users."

She noted that while e-mail is still the preferred electronic means for older users to maintain contacts, many are now using social-networking platforms for daily communication. Twenty percent of those aged 50-64 use social-networking daily, double the rate of a year ago. Among those 65+, the rate is 13 percent, compared to four percent in 2009.

'Potential To Bridge Generation Gaps'

In fact, nearly half -- 44 percent -- of adults 50 and older had used social-networking sites the day before being contacted for the survey.

Rather than become a barrier to communication between generations, as many adults have feared about their younger relatives and friends, social media "has the potential to bridge generation gaps," according to the Pew report. It noted that there are few, if any, other spaces in the virtual or real worlds where such a wide range of ages can readily communicate.

Sharing status updates through Twitter and other services is also becoming more popular among older users, in particular those aged 50-64, with 11 percent using that service, compared to five percent a year ago.

The survey was based on data from telephone interviews conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates over a one-month period, from April 29 to May 30 this year. The sample was 2,252 adults, aged 18 and older. Pew said it can assert, with 95 percent confidence, that errors attributable to sampling are plus or minus 2.4 percent.

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