Eons Offers Social Networking to Boomers

Posted on August 3, 2006

A new social network called Eons is targeting the over 50 demographic. The site offers social networking features, groups focused on different hobbies and interests, a longevity calculator and obits. Mashable writes more about Eons' obituary database and death alerts.

Eons, a social network for the over 50s, launched yesterday. They've also thrown out a good tidbit for the bloggers, journalists and Diggers to get excited about: the service comes with an online obituary database that sends out death alerts when people pass away. Eons was created by Monster.com founder Jeff Taylor, who knows how to spin a good story - he told Reuters "The death business is growing" and added that deaths in the US have risen from 2.2 million in 2000 to 2.4 million in 2005. They even have a death calculator that works out your longevity based on your answers to certain questions.

But the site isn't really all about death. It is more about living a long healthy life and goal achievement. Actress Jane Seymour (age 55) has joined the company as Advisor and had this to say about aging and longevity.

"Aging is not something people should fear. We have choices about how much of the power we tap within ourselves and where we channel it throughout our lives. My personal journey after 50 has been marked by so many rewarding experiences from furthering my acting and producing career to developing my own signature home collection of linens and decorative accessories, participating in one woman art shows around the world, continuing with my philanthropic endeavors and, of course, raising six children. I see these possibilities only continuing to expand. In joining Eons, I look to both inspire and be inspired by the energy our generation is creating as we pursue our most important dreams and goals."

Eons also challenges members to list goals they want to accomplish. Here are Seymour's ten goals she wants to accomplish before she turns 100.

Learn to meditate and take time to do it
Be as healthy as I can and exercise consistently
Learn a musical instrument
Break 90 in golf
Take a painting course in Florence
Make a sustainable difference in a specific area in a third world country and in the poorest parts of USA
Follow Darwin's journey to the Galapagos Islands
Learn Photoshop
Be computer savvy
Go to Australia

Eons won't be able to compete with MySpace, or any of the other youth-focused social networks, but it won't have to. By focusing on an older demographic they can attract a completely different group of advertisers. There is an active group of senior bloggers on the Internet so there is probably interest in a website like Eons.