Google Buzz: Pro, Con and Interesting Articles

Since Google Buzz launched Feb. 9, it has garnered more than 9 million posts and comments, meaning there are over 160,000 posts and comments per hour. But is Google Buzz helpful? Here are some of my thoughts:

Pro:

• Measurement: Outlets like TechCrunch and Mashable have added Google Buzz buttons, letting readers share stories to Buzz. What I’ve always liked about Mashable and TechCrunch is their Retweet button which displays the number of times the story has been retweeted. Similarly, what I particularly like about outlets tacking on Google Buzz buttons is that I can see how many times it’s been “buzzed,” enabling me to gauge how popular a story is.

Con:

• Privacy: Many publications have articles out already detailing the privacy concerns of Google Buzz. For instance, TechCrunch’s Erick Schonfeld detailed how he accidentally exposed MG Siegler’s private email address to the 231 people following Schonfeld who didn’t have Siegler in their contacts to begin with.

Some Interesting Articles:

• Web Strategy by Jeremiah Owyang: Web Strategy Matrix: Google Buzz vs Facebook vs MySpace vs Twitter (Feb 2010)
• TechCrunch: Watch Out Who You Reply To On Google Buzz, You Might Be Exposing Their Email Address
• TechCrunch: Google Buzz Privacy Issues Have Real Life Implications
• PC World: Google Buzz: 5 Tips for Power Users

How is social media being used by kids, teens and young adults?

Within the last few weeks, there’s been some interesting study findings released that show how children, teens and young adults use media. In January, the Kaiser Family Foundation released findings about the daily media use of children and teenagers from ages 8 to 18 in its report Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds. Yesterday, the Pew Research Center released the findings of its study Social Media and Young Adults.

Kaiser Family Foundation’s research found that although young people spend an average of almost 8 hours per day using entertainment media, they are actually stuffing nearly 11 hours worth of media use into those 8 hours by “media multitasking,” or using more than one medium at a time. Other interesting tidbits:

• Social networking activities contribute to the increased media use.
• Top online activities include social networking, playing games, and video sites (e.g. YouTube).
• Nearly 75% of all 7^th to 12^th graders have a profile on a social networking site.
• Girls spend more time than boys using social networking sites, listening to music, and reading.
• Boys spend more time than girls playing console video games, computer games, and going to video websites.
• Mobile media is driving increased consumption.

Although the Kaiser Family Foundation’s findings apply to young adults up to the age of 18, we can learn additional insights from the Pew Research Center’s results, which detailed findings about individuals under and over 30. Some key highlights include:

• Teens and young adults are blogging less but using social networking more.
• Teens ages 12 to 17 do not use Twitter in large numbers, though Twitter is more popular with high school girls.