Multi-Generational Interview

I interviewed a small group (5) teens (one 10^th, two 11^th, and one 12^th graders) for the multi-generational interview project.  All of the students currently use and have been using Facebook for a range of ½ years to 5 years.  Three of the five had used MySpace but became bored with it and moved on to Facebook.    Three had used Twitter in the past but no longer use this media, all knew the difference between Twitter and Facebook.  One currently uses Skype and one also use ODVO.  When asked how much time the students spend on social sites, they all responded “the whole time they are up”.  The students did not know what “blogging” was.  Each respondent indicated that they go on social sites to keep up with their friends and find out what’s going on.  Each of the student stated that they did not pay attention to the ads on the sites, but when asked for detailed information about the ads, each was able to give very specific information about ads that pop up on their sites (One girl was offended that pregnancy ads always pop up on her site). 

I believe that my generation chooses different social networking sites, which they perceive to be more professional, i.e., LinkedIn, blogging.  I personally, am not a good representative of use of social media as I have resisted it use and still do not see its benefit to me.  I have become more active in social media due to this class; however, I don’t feel that I will significantly change my position.  I believe I will go back to email as my primary source of communication.  Whereas my spouse has been a blogger before MySpace and Facebook existed, his use of social media limited to blogging on subject sites of interest i.e., technology, investing.

I feel the social networking industry has done an outstanding job creating specific niches targeted at its intended market.  If you ask most people in my generation, they would not dare have a MySpace, Twitter or Facebook account, but finds LinkedIn and blogging acceptable.  The specific sites also allow marketing at its intended audience.

I personally spend a lot of time on the computer to accomplish my everyday task, Word, Excel, and other technological tools.  I try to designate a specific time to check and respond to email.  Strictly from a time management point of view, in my opinion, social networking does not lend itself to optimum utilization of time.  As I write (used to be as I speak), I am perched at my computer across the table from my spouse who is perched at his computer.  As we spend more time on computers and less time communicating face to face or by phone, social networking should be termed anti-social networking.   If either or the other speak or ask a question you get silence or “wait let me finish this thought”.  While we are in one another’s physical presence, our thoughts and attention is devoted to others, people we don’t even know.  Is this social networking?