Italy, Spain lead pack for mobile social networking

According to new data issued by market measurement firm M:Metrics, teens in Western Europe and the U.S. are spearheading the acceleration of wireless social networking applications and user-generated content. "Much as teens were the early adopters of PC-based social networking applications, they have proven to be the innovators in the mobile arena," M:Metrics VP and senior analyst Paul Goode said in a prepared statement. "Although teenagers and young adults make up only six to 10 percent of mobile subscribers, they generate more than their fair share of mobile content."

Per M:Metrics data, Italian youths are the most rabid consumers of photo messaging, chat and subscriber-created content like video and ringtones, with 69.7 percent of Italian teens ages 13 to 17 and 63.6 percent of consumers ages 18 to 24 using such services in October 2006. Among all subscribers, Spain led the way with 44.6 percent of its total mobile consumer base embracing user-generated content and social networking apps. In the U.S., that number falls to just 23.3 percent of subscribers.

"There is a direct correlation between 3G penetration and video messaging," Goode said. "With the proliferation of better networks comes moderately priced, highly capable devices that are appropriate for younger users. As better, cheaper devices enter these markets on faster networks, we would expect mobile content consumption to increase significantly, particularly among this highly connected demographic."

For more on the report:
- read this release

Related article:
- Vodafone buddies up to social networking

Note: FierceMobileContent editor Jason Ankeny is married to an M:Metrics employee.