This report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project takes a critical look into the social impact of widespread use of social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, and Twitter. Written by Keith Hampton, Lauren Sessions Goulet, Lee Rainie, and Kristen Purcell, this 85-page report was published in June 2011. Visitors can download the report or read it online; the materials here also include the survey questions, along with information about the authors' methodology. The report is divided into five parts, including an introduction and a chapter titled "Who are social networking site users?" There are a number of interesting findings here, including the observation that the number of people using social networking sites has nearly doubled since 2008 and their population has gotten significantly older during that time. The report is well written and full of insights that will be of use to media specialists, sociologists, and those with an interest in how technology affects human interaction.
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