With innovations in communication technology, social networking has grown from an unknown hobby to a worldwide fad. People all around the world utilize diverse social websites for unique purposes. The two most popular, Twitter and Facebook, have become part of the cultural fabric of the universe. The latest question is, which social network is the most beneficial for all different age groups, and why?

A recent survey of Academy students on Facebook polled people from three different age groups and their preference of Twitter or Facebook. Out of the 45 people surveyed in ages 12-17, 77% chose Facebook over Twitter.   “Facebook is the most beneficial social network I use because it allows me to stay connected with all of the interactive youth groups I am a part of and informs me of events going on in my community,” said Sophia Baldor.

 Most teenagers prefer Facebook because of its easy accessibility and its creative way to express all types of information. Baldor added, “The most useful aspect of Facebook for me is contacting easy and fast. It’s a great way to quickly receive/ask questions and share information.” Results of surveys from groups one and two suggest that from the majority opinion, adolescents seem to relate more to Facebook than Twitter simply because Twitter is more of a personal social network while Facebook is a highly interactive website that includes input from a large quantity of individuals.

Sixty-six percent of ages 18-24 selected Facebook over Twitter. College students favor Facebook because it provides them with specialized options and reliable information.  Moreda, from St. Leo University, said, “I benefit from Facebook because I can socially interact with my friends, and it has numerous advantages in the professional realm. From a business and marketing stand point, I would choose Facebook over Twitter because it enables me to reach more people, and it is a tool that I use to market a product more effectively than Twitter.”

Although Moreda is currently a marketing major, many college students also have the opportunity to explore all that Facebook has to offer. As a result of this global social website, some students have discovered that Facebook has the ability to assist them in networking for future careers.”

After conducting surveys for groups one and two, the general opinion shows that most people found Facebook more advantageous than Twitter.  However,  out of ages 25 and above in group three, 78% prefer Twitter over Facebook.  Mrs. Edie Le Bas, a high school journalism teacher, who attended the Poynter Conference for College Journalism Educators over the summer for college journalism educators, learned that social networking is the best way to increase readership for online publications.  “Twitter has become the medium of communication for setting trends across all professions. Anyone in journalism, marketing, retail, politics and economics can keep up with current happenings and reactions of the experts if they know which Twitter feeds to follow.”

Unlike teenagers, most adults use social networks strictly for their careers and are typically not concerned with socially interacting with friends on the Internet. Most adults who have Twitter accounts follow users firmly to obtain continuous news updates and tips on their occupations.

Mrs. Le Bas concludes, “If I could only have one social network, it would be Twitter! I can follow some of the best journalists in the business. It’s quick and always thought-provoking. It’s all about the content of the tweet!”