New Facebook app released

The VOSON Lab have released a Facebook application called Australian Seniors' Online Networks (AuSON), which will help shed light on how Australian seniors are using the Facebook social networking site to connect with friends and family, and the relationship between social networks and successful ageing.Once the AuSON Facebook application is installed, it automatically collects information on the structure of users’ Facebook networks.  Participants are also asked to provide additional information about offline friends, how their social networks provide access to resources such as information and assistance (social capital) and measures of ageing status such as physical and mental wellbeing.The AuSON Facebook application has been developed as part of a four-year Australian Research Council Linkage Project with industry partner National Seniors Australia.  The project is led by Associate Professor Heather Booth (ADSRI, ANU) and the other chief investigators are Associate Professor Robert Ackland (ADSRI, ANU) who led the development of AuSON and Dr Timothy Windsor (Flinders University).  The project team also includes PhD students Ms Pilar Rioseco and Ms Mahin Raissi, and software developers Mr Lin Chen and Mr Mahmoud Sadeghi.We are looking for research participants!  If you are a Facebook user, 50+ years of age and eligible to vote in Australia, or if you are a Facebook friend with someone who is 50+ and can vote in Australia, please participate by installing AuSON.