Do your relatives over fifty years old use Facebook, or even email? (sister, retirement)

[tamajane]

People that you have known for years can "change" when on social networking sites. An old friend of mine has the whole package- fb, twitter, photo site. They are loaded up with pictures of her posing that she takes herself. She is almost fifty and the photos look like what teens are posting. She must take hundreds and photoshop them because in them she looks twenty five years old and skinny. It's just sad and dysfunctional when a grown person needs this kind of false attention and the internet is there to enable that. She is just one of the people that I don't care for much anymore specifically because of their behavior online. I'd rather not see this side of people so I stay away from facebook. Some people with FB will not e-mail me anymore, so that is that.

[ellie]

Every time I read the title of this thread I have to stop and laugh! 50? How old is the OP, 12? As many have stated in various ways, 50 is hardly old, especially in terms of using ordinary technology. 50 is way younger than retirement age...

[The Outcast]

I am nearly fifty and know very few people over forty that use Facebook and only about half of the people use email for personal use. Technology is their kids thing not theirs.

Originally Posted by ellie

Every time I read the title of this thread I have to stop and laugh! 50? How old is the OP, 12? As many have stated in various ways, 50 is hardly old, especially in terms of using ordinary technology. 50 is way younger than retirement age...

[tamajane]

Originally Posted by The Outcast

I am nearly fifty and know very few people over forty that use Facebook and only about half of the people use email for personal use. Technology is their kids thing not theirs.

Who do you think invented it? What was happening during the high tech boom in the 80s and early 90s? The "kids" were not born yet.

It's not about technology itself, but about the melding of it and people as a significan't means of socializing. We had e-mail and social networking at my company in the 80s, but it was a workplace thing. The people who used it the most would be in their 50s and 60s now. But it was an accessory and not the prime means of communication.

Pretty much everyone I know of all ages has e-mail. Facebook/twitter - a different story and lots of younger people are not into it either.

[yellowsnow]

I'm over 50 and I use both. So does my SO. All my same age friends do too.

But that probably has something to do with the fact that I was a techie before most of you had even seen the NET.

[intelfan11315]

I'm almost 23 and I was sending facebook messages to my grandpa the other day for his spanish help lol.

[ChessieMom]

Originally Posted by The Outcast

I wish the older relatives in my extended family used Facebook or at a minium had an email address, but few do. Actually I counted 14 extended family relatives and only two have a face book account and only 4 have a personal use email.

Do you find that IN GENERAL social networking is for younger people and those over 50 years old even avoid using email to communicate?

Are you freakin' kidding me? 50?? How old are you....8? Do you even know how old Bill Gates is???

[ChessieMom]

Originally Posted by The Outcast

I am nearly fifty and know very few people over forty that use Facebook and only about half of the people use email for personal use. Technology is their kids thing not theirs.

You are sorely out of touch then.

[ellie]

Originally Posted by The Outcast

I am nearly fifty and know very few people over forty that use Facebook and only about half of the people use email for personal use. Technology is their kids thing not theirs.

Not so on this side of the planet.

[Kris000]

I think lots of people over 50 use things like Facebook. Mine and my hubby's moms have Facebook, as do some of our aunts and uncles, and some of our friend's parents too. My dad is in his 60s, and although he doesn't have Facebook, he is much more tech savvy than I am.