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amplification

I find Silicon Valley's obsession with teens fascinating. Why is teen usage a benchmark for the health of a startup?

Do teenagers spend money online? Is there any research on that?

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Teens represent the near future. They'll grow up and maybe carry their allegiances forward.

I think this article proves that wrong (if these stats are true). Teens are the most fickle demographic out there!

If services only remain at their peak for 4/5 years this doesn't represent much of an advantage.

The question is, does Facebook behave like Google, or even more generally, like e-mail, and last a long time, or is it just another 4-5 year fad? If its a longer term tool then the behavioral trends of young demographics are a big deal.

Maybe - though my guess is that they'll join a university population and/or workforce and start interacting with the wider world, that just happens to be significantly on Facebook. But at 40 mine is hardly a relevant opinion :)

My guess is they'll join university & the workforce, and then they'll join the world's most popular social network: email. ;)

They don't. 20somethings don't use SMTP-backed email as a significant component of telecommunication.

They use websites, apps, and txting.

As a 20-something, email still has an important place for official communication. Email is to texting/Facebook message what dead-tree letters are to email.

Strongly disagree. Teens grow up. Demands on their time changes. Later on they maybe get married, get houses, kids. Life priorities change. Other platforms, tools offer a better fit for their altered circumstances. They move on.

I'll predict that a couple of years from now, the main population left on FB will be 60- somethings who once again are at a stage in their lives where they can afford the time for it.

My guess is that the teenager/young adult demographic is highly coveted by advertisers because they tend to have disposable income (gross generalization) and are the most vocal/enthusiastic customers. they can act like 3d billboards for whatever they happen to be into. idk just a guess

Are facebook and twitter still startups?

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