Seniors flocking to social networks: Are they playing games?

The image of social networks as a place just for teens and college kids continues to fall away thanks to a new study from the Pew Internet and American Life Project showing older Americans using social networks in larger numbers than ever before.

Over 40 percent of American Internet users 50 and older now use social networking sites, according to the study, nearly doubling their proportion from only a year ago. While young people are still the most active social networkers (86% of 18-29 year olds are on a social network), older Americans represent the fastest growing demographic for the sites.

While the Pew study didn't break out game use among these older social network users, it stands to reason that some of the group's increase in numbers is being driven by the popularity of social games. A Popcap study from February found that 46 percent of social gamers in the US were at least 50 years old, far outpacing the 30 percent or so of total internet users in that age group.

Even if those older social networkers aren't gaming now, it's likely their rising numbers will lead to more and more social game developers targeting their games at this growing audience.

Quote of the Moment: "My dog is in the pound"

"My grandmother-in-law, she is 83 years old, she wears thick glasses, she has curly grey hair, she's been about four years widowed now, she lives with my mother-in-law. My mother-in-law was recently returning from a trip out of town. As soon as she got home, my grandmother-in-law comes out to the back porch to meet her, she's very upset, she's distraught.

She says, 'Well, my dog is in the pound,' and my mother-in-law says "What do you mean your dog is in the pound?" She thought for a minute she was talking about her boston terrier. And she says 'No, my dog on Farmville. My dog's been thrown in the pound! You've got to go to the store and you've got to buy farm dollars for me.' The obvious answer was to drive 20 miles, to Target, buy the card for $30 then turn around and drive back home that very night so she could get her dog out of the pound."

Leigh Fransen, of Fort Mill South Carolina recounts the lengths he family has gone to for Farmville in a very entertaining NPR piece on the appeal of social games.