I know a technology has reached maturity when my mom starts using it. I remember, my mother was always fairly familiar with technology. However she has always been behind the curve compared to my generation and people more familiar with technology.

My parents started using e-mail in the mid 90’s. They didn’t really start taking advantage of smart phones and PDAs until 2002-2003. They’re both in their fifties now, err, I mean mom is 38. And when they do adopt new technologies, they usually end up using them fairly regularly, even though my dad does have trouble getting around a computer.

Yesterday morning I woke up, checked my email, and found that my mom had requested me as a friend on Facebook. As I approved her request, I realized that social networks have nearly reached complete market saturation. If my mom is using a technology, it’s not a niche product anymore, it has become a commodity.

Up until then I had thought that maybe, just maybe online social networking utilities could be just a fad, something like eight track cassettes, Tamagotchis, or Furbies. For better or for worse it seems to me that this is not the case. Facebook, Myspace, or some version of them are here and they’ll probably be around for quite some time now that the mothers of the world are taking advantage.

-MW