It became increasingly apparent that more than finding information, the engagement with their social networks and sense of renewed relevance was the most significant gain for older users. “It’s this kind of bigger sense of mattering, in the social world, if you will,” Cotten explains. “You’re not just something that’s been pushed off to the wayside anymore. You still have consequence.”
Over the course of the eight weeks, 10 to 15 percent of the group went on to engage in more advanced technology like social networking, joining Facebook and Eons, an online community for the Boomer set.