The percentage of Internet users who are on social-networking sites continues to climb, according to a survey released 26 August 2011 by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. The findings are from a phone survey of 2,277 adults conducted in English and Spanish between April 26 and May 22.

In February 2005, 5% of adults told Pew they used social media. This year's  survey more than 50% of adults participating (Web users and nonusers) confirmed that they are using social networking.

The report calls young adult women the "power users" of social-media sites. About 89% of online women from 18-29 years old are on the sites and 69% of them say they tend to log onto social media every day (compared to 60% of all men).

In one question, Pew asked people who have used social-networking to give a one-word description of their experiences.

The responses were overwhelmingly positive, the report said, with one-in-five being negative.

Among positive responses, the top five were: good, fun, great, interesting and convenient.

The most popular negative responses were: boring, confusing, frustrating, time-consuming and overwhelming.

Pew Survey Questions	PIP-SNS-topline-2011-Survey.p
Pew Final Report 2011	PIP-SNS-2011-Report.pdf

In Europe ECWT has experienced similar tendencies in connection with the online survey and focused preparations carried out through social media ( EU Women Blog, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter) for Workshop 22 of the Digital Agenda Assembly "Women for Smart Growth" in Brussels 16-17 June 2011.

For more information: Cheryl D. Miller, Belgian N-PoC of the ECWT, greenlight for girls and Zen Digital, e-mail.