Change is A-Coming

On a daily basis, 48% of online users access social networking sites; while 45% say they email friends and family. This is a reverse course from last spring, when we found that email trumped (slightly – 49% to 46%) social networking sites as the major form of online communication.

The decline in email may signal that a shift is afoot in how we get in touch with others and share information online. If email continues to fade and social networking sites take over more fully, what do you think it will mean for our social and professional relationships?

• The half-empty glass says ugh (!), now there will be way more breadth to our connections, but significantly less depth; and we will lose much if not total ownership over our personal information; and even worse we will completely surrender any privacy we once thought we had.
• But the half-full glass says not so (!), we will now be able to communicate in real-time breaking all land-speed records; and there will be much more transparency and openness; and our intellect, curiosity and creativity will all be etched on our permanent record. Or wait…is that last one in the half-empty glass?

Of note, not much has changed regarding blogs or Twitter – yet. Today, about 1 in 7 online users still access blogs on a daily basis; and about 1 in 10 use Twitter.

What’s your stance on Americans’ growing use and reliance on social networking sites? More or less of a good thing or a bad thing?