Boomers Killed The Social Networking Star*

They did it to disco, the station wagon, and personal savings. Now baby boomers are being accused of ruining Twitter.

Writing in PC World, Robert Strohmeyer says that Twitter is only the latest social network to be stomped beneath a horde of onrushing boomers. Somewhere under their feet lies MySpace and Facebook.

... when they set up camp, they invariably change the dynamic of the social network itself. Whether due to their distinctive social habits or the sheer vastness of their demographic, a mass migration of 50-and-over folk brings in its train everything from increased political activity to a proliferation of spam.

There's no doubt that for anyone under 30, the arrival of their parents into a formerly exclusive group means the fun is probably over. On top of that, Strohmeyer points out, older and younger users of social networks use them differently, and each views the other with some disdain. Younger users share too much minutiae, say boomers, while older members are too self-promoting and work-oriented, say their younger peers.

What's next? One tweet suggests "As services become more organized, they attract older users. Once it becomes more organized, the kids leave."

On to Plurk, Bebo, or Brightkite ...

--- You can follow LifeTwo on Twitter @lifetwo. We'll still be there after Gen Y leaves.

* with apologies to The Buggles