GLOBAL – ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011 – The world’s rising young leaders attending One Young World 2011 (OYW 2011) rate Facebook the most influential social media platform right now but they expect Google to dominate the Internet in the future.


Kicking off a live poll at OYW 2011, over 700 delegates took part in votes about the influence of social media. In a two-way vote, 61 percent chose Facebook as more influential while 34 percent chose Twitter. However, in a three-way vote on which service will dominate the future, 68 percent of delegates voted for Google, 21 percent voted for Facebook, and 11 percent voted for Twitter.


Among the young delegates gathered in Zurich from over 170 countries across the world, social media was noted as a prominent way of interacting with the news. 87 percent of the young people now consume their news online, through social media and digital news channels. Only 13 percent favor print publications. Europeans were the most focused on digital news channels, with 63 percent getting their current affairs updates online. Over half of the Middle Eastern delegates used social media in order to read the news with 57 percent of North Asians doing the same.


“One Young World delegates aren’t just outstanding young leaders in socially responsible initiatives they’re also exceptionally adept at using digital technology. Their vote tipping Google suggests that Facebook is far from home free in the struggle to dominate the Internet,” says Kate Robertson, co-founder of One Young World. “Getting the support of these influential young leaders takes the right mix of functional usefulness for their purposes and commitment to social responsibility. “


One Young World is the premier global forum for young people of leadership calibre, with sponsorship from major global corporations and mentoring from eminent figures including Bob Geldof, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Jamie Oliver and Muhammad Yunus. Delegates to OYW 2011 come from every part of the world. The poll is made up of respondents from all regions: 15 percent from Africa, 14 percent from North America, 10 percent from Central and South America, 13 percent from Asia, 6 percent from Australia, 38 percent from Europe and 4 percent from the Middle East.
