WASHINGTON — Almost half of teens, 48 percent of those ages 13-18, use instant messaging, according to an AP-AOL poll. That’s more than twice the percentage of adults who use it. According to the poll: Almost three-fourths of adults who do use instant messages still communicate with e-mail more often. Almost three-fourths of teens send instant messages more than e-mail. More than half of the teens who use instant messages send more than 25 a day, and 1 in 5 send more than 100. Three-fourths of adult users send fewer than 25 IMs a day. Teen users (30 percent) are almost twice as likely as adults (17 percent) to say they can’t imagine life without instant messaging. When keeping up with a friend who is far away, teens are most likely to use instant messaging, while adults turn first to e-mail. About a fifth of teen IM users have used IM to ask for or accept a date. Almost as many, 16 percent, have used it to break up with someone. A bow to the traditional: When sharing serious or confidential news, both teens and adults prefer to use the telephone, the poll […]

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