The Pew Internet & American Life Project gives all of us a great snapshot of the integration and use of technology and media in American culture.  Their recent blog post, "Instagram, Vine, and the Evoloution of Social Media", talks about how social networking has grown faster and changed more than any other online/Internet activity during their research period.  The facts that Pew lists are staggering:

• In February 2005, when Pew started their social networking research, 8% of Internet users (5% of all adults) said they used social media.  Today, the numbers have jumped to a staggering 67% of online adults.
• November 2010 there were 8% of online Americans using Twitter and today it's 16%
• 13% of online adults now use Instagram.
• In 2012, 46% of Internet users posted their original phots and videos online and 41% curate photos and videos they find on other sites.
• Creators of original photos or videos tend to be younger
• Those who take photos or videos they found online and then repost them for sharing tend to be women and younger adults.
• As of May 2013, 91% of American adults own a cell phone and 56% own a smartphone.

The explosive trending that we are seeing towards an "open", integrated, and mobile society are staggering.  In the same way, the speed of adoption is likewise equally staggering.  Through this "Faith and Safety" initiative between the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox Churches, we'll try to continually give parents, clergy, and parishes the information and tools they need to keep pace in this fast-changing social and media-rich environment.

You can read the full blog post from Pew Research here.