A study by HTC has revealed that more than half of adults in the UK have taken a selfie, accounting for 35m selfies a month, despite only 29% of respondents knowing what the term meant.
While the self-portraits were most popular among the younger generation, with three quarters of those aged 18-24 having taken a selfie at some point, 29% of those aged 65 and over also admitted to having taken a ‘silver selfie’.
Suzy Watson, a spokesperson for HTC, said: "Selfies have been made popular by young people, but what is fascinating is it’s now growing in popularity with older users too.
"With celebrities like Rihanna and Ricky Gervais embracing the format, the phenomenon is set to continue gaining popularity."
She added: "2013 has definitely been the year of the selfie. Consumer interest and technology has created a perfect storm for this to continue. It’s not just about vainity, but it’s about sharing with friends and family.
The research also shows that 14% of selfies have been digitally enhanced in some way, with 36% of 18-24-year-olds admitting to editing their photos before sharing them with others.
The top reason to take a selfie was to remember a happy moment (35%) with most selfies taken on holiday (19%) or in a living room (19%).
‘Sexy selfies’ are also becoming commonplace with the young, with 41% of 18-24-year-olds sharing intimate photos of themselves, compared to an average of 25% of all adults. The number dropped with age as only 4% of those over 65 admitted to taking a sexy selfie.
