web 2.0

Online social networking isn't just for youngsters anymore. Of course, only 1 million of the more than 215 million social networkers regularly active today are older than 50. But by the end of the year that number could explode to 20 million, says a new study from global analysts Deloitte. Baby boomers have both time and money. Jeff Taylor, the entrepreneur who made millions off popular job-search site Monster.com, which he founded back in 1993, seems to have another hit on his hands with Eons, the social-networking site for the 50-plus crowd only. Eons hit the Net in late July, backed by $10 million in venture capital, and now boasts more than 100,000 members and has welcomed almost a million unique visitors.That means they have time to spend on networking sites that are wholly reliant on user-created content. Unlike their parents, baby boomers aren't looking for a quiet retirement. They want to stay active, social and connected during a retirement in which they're likely to live to more than 80. Finally, the technology to create and personalize networking Web pages is getting easier to use with every software release.