Boomers make social networks a place of their own

Whether it's congressmen Twittering during presidential speeches, parents connecting with high school flames on Facebook or empty-nesters planning group outings on grown-up sites such as Eons.com, Baby Boomers are speeding up the Web's ongoing metamorphosis from limitless void to global watering hole. Social networking is fast becoming a staple for a growing number of adults as Web use surges. One-third of adult Internet users have a profile on a social networking site, up from 8% in 2005, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project. And though adults share some teen habits — checking in with friends, planning get-togethers — they differ from the younger set in their desire to use the medium to meet new friends from across the country. Their reasons for connecting with others online vary, but the passion for it is unwavering.