Facebook Used By Over-50s To Check Old Flames, Upload Selfies [SURVEY]

Facebook is used by 16% of Britons over the age of 50 to check out old flames, says a new research. Also, the survey found that 16% upload their selfies on the platform, in order, to show their old partners how well they have aged.

Over-50s, avid user of Facebook

Martin Lock, chief executive of Silversurfers.com, who carried the research, said, ‘We were stunned at the popularity of Facebook.” The survey collected feedbacks from 3,000 people, with findings clearly saying “Facebook is king of social media for the over-50s,” said Lock.

Approximately 90% of over-50s are a regular user of Facebook whereas 48% use the platform to updates and share photos. And 81% of the users surveyed accepted that they login their account more than once a day while 37% acknowledged that they regularly check their friend’s profile.

The study also found that 47% of the over the 50s believe they will use the social networking more as they grow older. The findings are in contrast to the general idea that the use of Facebook declines with age. With Facebook, less physically active people get an easy and trouble free medium to keep in touch with their near and dear once.

Other platforms not that appealing

Lock believes using Facebook will help the older people to connect with families and friends, and lessen their loneliness in later years. Facebook is undoubtedly the most popular social network media for those over 50 years with 35% only preferring Facebook.

Google+, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram were not popular among the elderlies with only 25%, 19% and 9% using Google+, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram respectively. The survey found that the trendiest topics for the over-50s are human interest, nostalgia, photo of the day and handy tips.

‘They don’t rate other social media. Our research also revealed that the over-50s use Facebook to check out old flames and show off,’ said Lock.

In separate news, the social networker is examining a new feature that enables some small and medium-sized business enterprises to sell their products through their Facebook pages. A few of these social network online shops permits users to buy their product directly by browsing whereas others directly connect users to the related retailers’ web page. Confirming the news, a spokesman said a few retailers and e-commerce firms are testing the feature on desktop and mobile.