The most definitive study of Internet usage by Americans – the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project – reports that social media usage by U.S. adults is at a record high: 72% of online adults report using at least one social networking site, up from 67% in December 2012:

And while growth occurred in every age group, the biggest increases were found among older adults:

43% of Internet users over the age of 65 reported using social networking sites as of May 2013, a big jump from 32% at the end of 2012

60% of Internet users aged 50-64 used social networks as of May 2013, up from 52% in December 2012

Other findings from the Pew Research study:

• 78% of Internet users aged 30-49 use social networking sites

• 89% of Internet users aged 18-29 use social networking sites

• Social media adoption is highest among Hispanics (80%), followed by African-Americans (75%) and white non-Hispanics (70%)

• More women (74%) than men (70%) use social media

• 71% of adults with a household income above $75,000 use social media

When Pew Research started this survey in 2005, only 8% of online adults used social media – just 8 years later, that number is now 72%. 

You get where this is going, right?