Results of
The Harris Poll of 2,331 adults surveyed online between December 6 and 13, 2010 show that 40% of Americans have received a good suggestion for something to try as a result of their
use of social media, 15% say they have made a connection regarding a job opportunity, and 9% say they have found a new apartment or house through their social media use.
Had Positive, Tangible Benefits, From Being Active On Social Media (Base: All Adults; % Of
Respondents) |
| Yes (Net), | Yes,
frequently | Yes, on occasion | No, never | N/A do not use |
Received a good suggestion for something to try | 40% | 7 | 33 | 25 | 35 |
Made a connection regarding a job opportunity | 15 | 3 | 12 | 50 | 35 |
Found a new apartment or house | 9 | 3 | 6 | 56 | 35 |
Source: Harris Poll, January 2011 |
While 65% of U.S. adults
are using social media and say they have received a positive benefit from its use, younger Americans claim positive benefits as a result of their social media use much more often than do older adults.
59% of Echo Boomers (those 18-33) say they have received a positive suggestion for something to try from their activity on social media, compared to 44% of Gen Xers (those 34-45), one third of Baby
Boomers (those 46-64) (34%), and just one in five Matures (those 65 and older) (19%). Similarly, one quarter of Echo Boomers have found a job opportunity through social media (24%), while only one in
ten Baby Boomers say the same (11%).
Positive, Tangible Benefits, From Being Active
On Social Media (All Adults By Age Group; % Saying "Yes, Frequently" Or "Yes, On Occasion") |
| Generation |
Benefit | Total | Echo Boomers (18-33) | Gen X (34-45) | Baby Boomers (46-64) | Matures (65+) |
Received a good suggestion for something to try | 40% | 59 | 44 | 34 | 19 |
Made a connection regarding a job opportunity | 15 | 24 | 19 | 11 | 4 |
Found a new apartment or house | 9 | 17 | 9 | 5 | 2 |
Source:
Harris Poll, January 2011 |
Despite all of the benefits people are receiving from their social media use, 43% of social media users say they have
been offended by posts, comments or pictures they've seen, and 26% say that unintended persons have viewed links or comments they've posted. Only 7% of social media users say they have
suffered the consequences of getting in trouble with school or work, or losing a potential job opportunity because of comments or pictures they posted online.
Had Negative Experience As A Result Of Being Active On Social Media (Base: Social Media Users; % of Respondents
by Group Saying "Yes, Frequently" Or "Yes, On Occasion") |
| | Generation | Gender |
Offense | Total | Echo Boomers | Gen X | Baby
Boomers | Matures | Male | Female |
Been offended by posts, comments or pictures I've seen | 43% | 51 | 39 | 43 | 28 | 38 | 48 |
Unintended persons viewed links I posted or comments I made | 26 | 37 | 29 | 17 | 13 | 30 | 22 |
Got in trouble with school or work because of pictures posted of me
online | 7 | 12 | 9 | 3 | - | 10 | 4 |
Lost a potential job opportunity because of pictures or posts I've made online | 7 | 11 | 8 | 3 | - | 10 | 3 |
Source: Harris Poll, January
2011 |
Social media networks are increasingly offering privacy settings to combat negative experiences, notes the report. 78% of social media users
agree that potentially negative experiences can be prevented through the use of these privacy settings, with three in ten strongly agreeing.
In addition, 71% of social media users are
confident that their own privacy settings operate in the way they intend, but only 18% say they are very confident, while 25% say they are not confident. Only 5% of social media users say they do not
use any privacy settings at all. Younger adults who use social media feel more strongly both that privacy settings can prevent negative consequences, and that they are confident in their own privacy
settings.
Confidence In Privacy Settings Selected On Social Media Account(s)
Function As Expected (Base: Social Media Users; % Of Respondents In Group) |
| | Generation |
| Total | Echo Boomers | Gen X | Baby Boomers | Matures |
Confident (NET) | 71 | 78 | 76 | 61 | 68 |
Very confident | 18 | 24 | 22 | 11 | 8 |
Somewhat confident | 53 | 53 | 54 | 50 | 59 |
Not Confident (NET) | 25 | 19 | 20 | 33 | 27 |
Not very confident | 18 | 16 | 15 | 23 | 17 |
Not at all confident | 7 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 10 |
Source: Harris Poll,
January 2011 |
The report concludes by noting that social media services have brought both good and bad for users, but there is a possibility that as
more people use social media, and do so casually, that they will become less careful with their settings and the 7% who have suffered more serious consequences will grow.
For more information please visit Harris Interactive here.