Mom Has Requested You as a Friend: The New Older Generation of Facebook Users

By: Tyler I. Williams

Each morning Ouida Johnson wakes up she makes her bed, brushes her teeth, washes her face, and checks her newest notifications on facebook.

For Johnson, a married 53 year old mother of two, like others her age, checking her Facebook is a part of the daily routine.

Johnson is just part of the rapidly growing number of adults using social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr.

The age of the average Facebook user is increasing each year, and though the youth remain the majority of Facebook users, older adults are the fastest growing number of users.

A study did by the site Insidefaceook.com looked at the age of Facebook users.

They found that the:

• 11 percent of users are Ages 13-17

· 29 percent of users are Ages 18-25

· 23 percent of users are Ages 26-34

· 18 percent of users are Ages 35-44

· 12 percent of users are Ages 45-54

· 7 percent of users are Ages 55-65

“I originally joined Facebook to keep in touch with my daughter when she was in college,” Johnson said. “But I soon after found myself reconnecting with friends from high school that I haven’t seen in years.”

She is not the only one who has found Facebook as a way to reconnect with old classmates, the use of Facebook by adult 50 to 64 has increased by 88 percent in the past year and for those 65 plus it has doubled.

But while these adults find it fun, their children such as Brianna Coley, find it just plain “weird.”


“I remember when my friends mom requested me, all I could think was why is she even on Facebook,” Coley said.

The 17 year old high school senior did not seem too ecstatic when asked about her moms use of Facebook.

“When I saw that my mom requested me as a friend all I could do was wonder how she even made one.” Coley said.

The use of Facebook by adults is not seen as bad to all. Many believe that the use of it by adults may help bridge the generation gap. Others find Facebook as a way to keep in contact with people who are are away.

Facebook is now trying to capture America’s adults by simplifying the website as well as revamping the privacy settings.

Something that adults such as small-business owner Ian Williams found helpful.

“At first Facebook seemed a tad complicated to use, but now I find it easier to access and easier to control my page.”

Williams, 50, found Facebook as a very useful way to keep in contact with family, old friends, other business owners, as well as keep taps on his two sons.

“The new privacy settings are helpful,” Williams said. “There are certain things meant for family members to see, and others meant for co-workers to see.”

While people like Williams find Facebook as an opportunity to reconnect and build connections, youth find it as adults invading the land of the young and hip.”

Johnson’s daughter, TiffanyAnn, also finds Facebook as a way to make these connections.

“It is kind of weird that my mom has a Facebook, but I can’t blame her because I use it for some of the same things, all I had to do was put her on limited profile.”