Poll on benefits and deficits of social media by age demographic

1. Press Contact:
Corporate Communications
Harris Interactive
212-539-9600
press@harrisinteractive.net
The Pros, Cons and Learning Curve of Social Media
Americans have experienced good and bad from social media, believe bad can be
countered with privacy settings
NEW YORK, N.Y. – January 18, 2011 – Social media has opened the door, or more accurately, many doors, to
increasingly numerous ways for people to interact with others, customize their online experiences and receive
positive, enriching benefits from their activity therein. In fact, two in five Americans say that they have received
a good suggestion for something to try as a result of their use of social media (40%), 15% say they have made a
connection regarding a job opportunity, and one in ten say they have found a new apartment or house through
their social media use (9%).
These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,331 adults surveyed online between December 6 and 13,
2010 by Harris Interactive.
While a majority of U.S. adults are using social media (65%), and a similar number say they have received a
positive benefit from its use, adoption is not consistent across the board. Rather, younger Americans claim
positive benefits as a result of their social media use much more often than do older adults. For example, a
majority of Echo Boomers (those 18-33) say they have received a positive suggestion for something to try from
their activity on social media (59%), 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%).
Not All Fun and Games
Despite all of the benefits people are receiving from their social media use, similar numbers say they have
suffered negative consequences from this activity, such as the two in five social media users who say they have
been offended by posts, comments or pictures they’ve seen (43%) and the quarter who say that unintended
persons have viewed links or comments they’ve posted (26%). Fewer social media users say they have suffered
the more serious consequences of getting in trouble with school or work, or losing a potential job opportunity
because of comments or pictures they posted online (7% for both). Despite younger Americans receiving
benefits from social media use more often than older adults, younger Americans also suffer the consequences of
social media use at a greater rate. This may, in part, be due to younger Americans greater use of social media
overall, which could expose them to both the benefits and consequences of what’s currently available.
Lessons Learned
As more people use social media and the services continue to expand, the potential benefits of use grow, as do
the possible consequences. As a result, social media networks are increasingly offering privacy settings to
combat the negative experiences some users have already experienced, and to prevent others from taking
place. When social media users were asked if potentially negative experiences can be prevented through the
use of these privacy settings, over three quarters agreed that they can be (78%) with three in ten strongly
agreeing (28%). In addition, 71% of social media users are confident that their own privacy settings operate in
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2. the way they intend, but only one in five say they are very confident (18%). While a quarter of social media
users are not confident in their privacy settings (25%), it seems that almost all social media users are at least
trying to use these options for security assurance—only 5% of social media users say they do not use any privacy
settings at all. Similarly to the other areas of social media explored, younger adults who use social media feel
more strongly both that privacy settings can prevent negative consequences (82% of Echo Boomers say this,
compared to 70% of Matures) and that they are confident in their own privacy settings (78% of Echo Boomers,
compared to 61% of Baby Boomers).
So What?
Social media services have brought both good and bad for users. However, newly introduced privacy settings
are now helping to prevent potential harm associated with social media use. As social media users become
more adept at understanding the nuances of how things work online and these privacy controls, hopefully they
will become even more successful at managing their experiences, to the point where the positive benefits
eclipse the negative consequences, and users can take more advantage of what’s offered online with little
concern for potential dangers. But, at the same time, there is also 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. It’s up to each and every user.
TABLE 1A
SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFITS
"Have you ever had the following positive, tangible benefits, from being active on social media?”
Base: All adults
Not
applicable
Yes Yes, Yes, on
No, never – I do not
(NET) frequently occasion
use social
media
% % % % %
Received a good suggestion for
40 7 33 25 35
something to try
Made a connection regarding a job
15 3 12 50 35
opportunity
Found a new apartment or house 9 3 6 56 35
Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.
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3. TABLE 1B
SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFITS
"Have you ever had the following positive, tangible benefits, from being active on social media?”
Summary of those saying “yes, frequently” or “yes, on occasion”
Base: All adults
Generation
Total Echo Baby
Gen X Matures
Boomers Boomers
(34-45) (65+)
(18-33) (46-64)
% % % % %
Received a good suggestion for
40 59 44 34 19
something to try
Made a connection regarding a job
15 24 19 11 4
opportunity
Found a new apartment or house 9 17 9 5 2
Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.
TABLE 2A
SOCIAL MEDIA CONSEQUENCES
“And, have you ever had the following negative experience as a result of being active on social media?”
Base: Social media users
Yes Yes, Yes, on
No, never
(NET) frequently occasion
% % % %
Been offended by posts, comments or
43 8 35 57
pictures I’ve seen
Unintended persons viewed links I
26 6 20 74
posted or comments I made
Got in trouble with school or work
7 4 3 93
because of pictures posted of me online
Lost a potential job opportunity
because of pictures or posts I’ve made 7 4 3 93
online
Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding
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4. TABLE 2B
SOCIAL MEDIA CONSEQUENCES
“And, have you ever had the following negative experience as a result of being active on social media?”
Summary of those saying “yes, frequently” or “yes, on occasion”
Base: Social media users
Generation Gender
Total Echo Baby
Gen X Matures
Boomers Boomers Male Female
(34-45) (65+)
(18-33) (46-64)
% % % % % % %
Been offended by posts,
43 51 39 43 28 38 48
comments or pictures I’ve seen
Unintended persons viewed
links I posted or comments I 26 37 29 17 13 30 22
made
Got in trouble with school or
work because of pictures posted 7 12 9 3 - 10 4
of me online
Lost a potential job opportunity
because of pictures or posts I’ve 7 11 8 3 - 10 3
made online
Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding
TABLE 3
PRIVACY SETTINGS
“Do you agree or disagree that potentially negative experiences resulting from social media activity can be prevented
through the use of privacy settings?”
Base: Social media users
Generation
Total Echo Baby
Gen X Matures
Boomers Boomers
(34-45) (65+)
(18-33) (46-64)
% % % % %
Agree (NET) 78 82 81 74 70
Strongly agree 28 34 28 24 25
Somewhat agree 49 48 52 50 45
Disagree (NET) 14 13 13 16 16
Somewhat disagree 10 10 10 9 12
Strongly disagree 4 2 3 7 4
Not at all sure 8 5 6 10 14
Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding
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5. TABLE 4
CONFIDENCE IN PRIVACY SETTINGS
“How confident are you that the privacy settings selected on your social media account(s) function in the way that you
would like?”
Base: Social media users
Generation
Total Echo Baby
Gen X Matures
Boomers Boomers
(34-45) (65+)
(18-33) (46-64)
% % % % %
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
Not applicable – I do not
5 3 4 6 6
use any privacy settings
Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding
Methodology
This Harris Poll was conducted online within the United States between December 6 to 13, 2010 among 2,331
adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were
weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity
score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.
All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of
error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error
associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey
weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words “margin of error” as they are
misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure,
unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls
come close to this ideal.
Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris
Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because
the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of
theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
The results of this Harris Poll may not be used in advertising, marketing or promotion without the prior written
permission of Harris Interactive.
J39118
Q805, 810, 815, 820
®
The Harris Poll #6, January 18, 2011
By Samantha Braverman, Senior Project Researcher, Harris Interactive
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6. About Harris Interactive
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