The most common reason U.S. consumers use social networking sites is to stay in touch with family and friends ― more than to reconnect with old friends and keep tabs on celebrities, a new survey finds.

In a survey for the Pew Internet & American Life Project, nearly two-thirds of social media users reported that staying in touch is a major reason they use these sites. The respondents were allowed to choose more than one major reason, and half of them said connecting with old friends they’d lost touch with is very important, too.

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“Some social networkers view these sites as venues for making new friends and connections,” senior research specialist Aaron Smith, author of the report, said in a statement. “But for the majority, social networking sites are most important as a way to share and communicate with friends and family who are already key social ties.

"Activities such as meeting potential dating partners or interacting with public figures are much less relevant than deepening bonds with those who are already important.”

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