Pew Research Center Staff

Today, 72% of online adults use social networking sites. Although younger adults continue to be the most likely social media users, one of the more striking stories about the social networking population has been the growth among older internet users in recent years.

A majority of Advanced Placement and National Writing Project teachers say digital tools encourage students to be more invested in their writing and make teaching writing easier, but also worry that they are having some undesirable effects.

Young men are especially likely to visit the site. Some 15% of male internet users ages 18-29 say that they use reddit, compared with 5% of women in the same age range and 8% of men ages 30-49.

Teens are sharing more personal information on their profiles than in the past. They choose private settings for Facebook, but share with large networks of friends. Most teen social media users say they aren’t very concerned about third-party access to their data.

The well-educated and the well-off are more likely than others to participate in civic life online – just as they have always been more likely to be active in politics and community affairs offline.

Our recent surveys show that 87% of American adults have a cell phone, along with 78% of American teenagers ages 12 to 17.

News reporting resources continued to decline in 2012 and nearly a third of Americans have abandoned a news outlet. Meanwhile, more newsmakers are able to take their messages directly to the public.

A survey of select middle and high school teachers shows digital tools are widely used in their classrooms, yet many teachers worry about digital divides when it comes to their students’ access to technology.

A late 2012 survey by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project shows that young adults are more likely than others to use major social media. At the same time, other groups are interested in different sites and services.