February 1, 2010
To:
From:
Interested Parties
Ben Tulchin and Julie Lein, Tulchin Research
Re:
Technology and Innovation Facts in California
From the introduction of the iPad to the expansion of social mediums like Facebook and
Twitter, California continues to be a leader in technology and innovation. But how expansive
are these technologies? Has this innovation penetrated California households? How are these
technologies impacting politics, political discourse, and the dissemination of political news and
information? And how are voters using these new technologies? A recent statewide survey
provides insight on the role of technology in California.
Facebook and Social Media Penetration
•
Over two in five voters (41%) use Facebook
o There is a linear correlation by age:
78% of voters 18-29 years old use Facebook
68% of voters 30-39 years old
53% of voters 40-49 years old
42% of voters 50-64 years old
12% of seniors (voters 65+).
Facebook Use by Age
78
68
53
42
12
0
20
40
60
80
18 - 29
30 - 39
40 - 49
50 - 64
65 +
Age
% FacebookUse
California Statewide Survey Results
2
•
Slightly more than one in 10 voters uses MySpace (13%) and Twitter (11%);
•
Over three in four Facebook users (78%) access their accounts once a week or
even more frequently, and 40 percent report using the social media site daily;
o This translates into 16% of likely voters using Facebook daily.
•
Of the 46% of voters who report using social media, 57% access political news
and information via Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.
o This converts to over a quarter of voters (26%) statewide reading political
news and information via social media sites;
•
Two in five (40%) social media users report supporting or following candidates
for office via Facebook and Twitter, with the most popular public figures in
California including
o Jerry Brown (10% among social media users)
o Meg Whitman (9% among social media users)
o Arnold Schwarzenegger (8%)
o