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Twitter Usage Not Widespread

MIAMI (CBS4) - If you watch the news or a sports broadcast, there's no doubt you've heard about connecting with others through Twitter. But according to a new survey from the Pew Research Center, only 8 percent of American adults who use the internet are Twitter users.

The number using Twitter is up only slightly since August of 2008 when 6 percent of internet users said they use Twitter. But, only two percent of those who use Twitter do it on a typical day.

The survey's numbers mean that Twitter usage amounts to 6 percent of the entire adult population of the United States.

The survey found that of the 8 percent that used Twitter, the majority were in the age group of 18-29. More African and Latino Americans used Twitter, which could explain the popularity of Twitter in more urban areas.

When it comes to what Twitter users are doing, the majority post personal or work updates and share links to news stories. Only 52 percent of Twitter users actually send direct messages through the social networking site.

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