Instant messaging has topped e-mail as the primary means of communication among U.S. teenagers with online access, according to an online survey from Parks Associates. The research finds this shift in communication habits occurring against the backdrop of other changes on the Internet. For example, roughly one-third of all online teens use social networking sites like MySpace daily.

Less than one-fifth of people aged 13-17 use e-mail as their primary communication method with friends, compared with nearly 40% of adults aged 25-54. At the same time, more than one-third of online teens rely primarily on instant messaging to communicate with friends while just 11% of adults aged 25-34 favor this method.

"We are seeing a generational shift in communication patterns, and e-mail is now old-fashioned," said John Barrett, director of research at Parks Associates. "Teens and young adults are increasingly accustomed to an always-on world where friends and family are instantly accessible."

However, the decline in e-mail use among teens may not necessarily be the technology’s death knell. "Once these individuals graduate and join the workforce, they may not have as much time to instant message," Barrett said.

About the market research report

Parks Research Associates' report, "Digital Media Habits", provides an in-depth understanding of digital media trends and monetization of those trends. The survey was fielded in August 2006 and included 2,117 respondents with Internet access ages 13 and over. All respondents owned at least one computer and had Internet access at home.

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