Communication Overtones Comments
Kami,
Like other social networking sites, what's to stop one from lying about his/her age to get in and browse? Granted, from PR engagement tactic viewpoint, it'd be tough to lie, interact and then have to explain yourself later.
Okay, ethics may stop one from lying about one's age.
But, for the younger social networking sites, when my kids get a bit older, I'm registering as a younger me to keep track of them -- or better, the other members from their school. In more than one instance has a deadly plot been uncovered, reported and stopped.
Mike
I stayed away from teh addressing teh issue of lying in my post, but it is a part of this. I admit I thought about it, but didn't do it. However, when in comes to monitoring my kid, I am right there with you. In fact, maybe you can be my friend, for appearances sake.
By the way, I do have a MySpace site, and Scott Baradell, plus the guy who is is everyone's friend when they start, are my only friends, probably because I don't lie about my age there either.
Hi Kami,
Great post. So much emphasis has been put on social networking lately and the impact it is having on PR. I have always wondered if social networking was turning its back to the older generations. I know that my grandmother is literally scared of her computer and is just now getting comfortable checking her e-mail. I'm sure that others in the 50 plus generation are more comfortable with computers but there is a large group that is still are very leery of the technology. It leads me to wonder if social networking is a viable and effective way for advertisers and PR practitioners to reach this older crowd. Perhaps, traditional methods are still the most effective for reaching older generations?
Kami
Yes, great commentary. Minor quibble: EONS is launched by Monster.com founder, Jeff Taylor (who is not yet 50, by the way)... but Jeff is launching this a a new and separate venture - with loads of money that small fish like you and I would feel spoiled to have and use on a social network. I'm curious about if and how it will grow, with such an up-front emphasis on the commercial underpinnings
Kare; That is why I love my readers, you are so much more informed than I am 
I will change the post to reflect the reality. I also wonder about the commercial aspect and if it will fly. Still, if they can offer a place where people feel comfortable reaching out to others with similar interets, while keeping the marketing at a discreet level, then Mr. Taylor may have a gold mine on his hands. That he is under 50 himself is ironic, I wonder if HE has a login. 
Stephanie; I think that in general, the older generation needs reassurance that all of this is safe. It seems Eons is trying to address this concern. But if, as Jupiter Research says, 20 percent of those 50-and-older are interested in social networking, that would be a pretty big number since Jupiter also estimates that 62.4 million of these adults will be online by 2010.
Hi Kami
It's nice to know our older generations are beginning to not only become comfortable with social networking, but now are actually creating their own social networking sites.
We have to realize that the elder community has issues and topics they would like to discuss through blogging without the hassle of the "youngins" giving their two-cents worth.
This would be a great opportunity for my grandmother to understand a little bit about what I do for my public relations homework.
Wade; True, but you better not call my mother, who is appoaching 50, an elder. She might just take you down (lol) But really, language is so important to the boomers. They don't like to be called old in any way.
A social networking site for the 50-plus crowd is something I never imagined. I think of my parents, who are in their upper 50s, and how they can barely read an e-mail. I highly doubt they would know how to contribute to a social networking site, in fact they would run away at the thought of communicating through blogs.
But then as I take a step back and think about public relations, it seems to be a good idea to reach this demographic through social networking.
Instead of being left out of the internet craze, the 50-plus crowd may want to embrace what their computer has to offer. Social networking could be a way to make the older group, who is often stereotyped as computer-illiterate, feel younger.
Parents may actually have more to talk about with their children at the dinner table. Families could converse about the latest blog they read, or a long-lost friend they reconnected with through social networks.
Eons may just be on the edge of a whole new market for social networking. They could be the first to really reach out to the 50-plus demographic through the internet. The site must be gaining some attention because it has gained 300,000 users since July. It will be interesting to see how the site grows.
However, I still go back to my original thoughts about my non-internet savvy parents. I will not be holding my breath for them to join the social networking site.
Kristin; Good points, I think Eons would be happy to just capture a fraction of the market. It is a really big one, so a little bit goes a long way.
Commenting by HaloScan
