• March 12, 2008

Most Internet users ages 45 and older believe online content, Web site design and online advertising are skewed toward a younger audience, according to a new Burst Media study.

Web users ages 18 to 24 and 25 to 34, by contrast, are most likely to say online content is focused on people their age, at 76% and 73.9%, respectively. More than half (55.7%) of those 35 to 44 find online content geared to their age group.

But among "Young Boomers" (45 to 54), only one-third (35.4%) believe Internet content is tailored to their age bracket. Nearly 78% of those 45 and over say online ads aren't targeted toward them. One thing all age groups seem to agree on is that the Internet has become an integral part of their lives, with almost 68% saying their daily routine would be disrupted if they had no Web access for a week.

About 60% say they're visiting more sites in a typical week than a year ago. The Burst study was based on a February survey of more than 13,000 Web users 18 or older.

--Mark Walsh