Brokerblogger

BusinessWeek's Baby Boomer Statistic Quote Misleading? - Brokerblogger

"Microsoft Magnifier, one of the accessibility features in Windows XP, opens a floating window that enlarges different parts of the screen—just like a magnifying glass."  Microsoft is trying to help Baby Boomers (1946 - 1964) who may develop vision challenges.  This is part of their "Ten Tips for the Awkward Age of Computing".

Ever since I read this 9/25/06 BusinessWeek Online article entitled "Boomers: A Web-Marketing Bonanza", something didn't seem right with this quote from it:  "Today, baby boomers make up the Web's largest constituency, accounting for fully one-third of the 195.3 million Web users in the U.S., according to Jupiter Research."  That would mean that 65, 034, 900 of the U.S. Census estimated 78, 200, 000 Baby Boomers use the Internet (83%).  I DON'T THINK SO!  I would love to know just how Jupiter Research got those numbers.  I've always been skeptical of how statistics are compiled due to what market are they being sold.  For example, how and from what income level were the sample Baby Boomers gathered, how large of a sample was used, and what specific questions were asked.  Statistics can be slanted in one general direction, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Focalyst’s Online Activity Report has more recent Baby Boomer statistics that are even more unbelievable to me.  This "American Boomers, 60+ Generation Active Web Users" article says:  "Focalyst’s Online Activity Report, which is based on a survey of more than 30,000 U.S. consumers ages 42 and older, also found that almost one-third of all online boomers — 21 million people — have been using the Internet for more than 10 years."  What do they mean by "using the Internet"?  They got AOL in the mail years ago and used it for the free period only?  Let's look closer.

Bernanke - Baby Boomer Strain Means Pain - Brokerblogger

Today, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said:  "As the population ages, the nation will have to choose among higher taxes, less non-entitlement spending by the government, a reduction in spending on entitlement programs, a sharply higher budget deficit or some combination thereof."  This was quoted in the AP  Wire:  "Bernanke: Baby boomers will strain U.S."

I've always believed that there should be more done by the search engines to educate Baby Boomers to the Internet and search from a consumer advocate and national pride perspective.  This would be a hugh undertaking, but the payoff would also be huge, if done properly.  It would be a win-win-win for all by helping the growing number of Baby Boomer consumers to shop and educate themselves more completely, the search engines would gain more active users and advertisers, and the USA would have more Baby Boomer online buyers and sellers contributing to the economy from PC's and home based businesses.

Here is another article from CNN Money.com