To some it's the mark of success. To others, a sign that a platform is beginning its slow descent into the dark depths of the less than hip.

Yup, it looks like Snapchat is now most popular with those fuddy-duddies over 35 years of age.

Oh Snap

At its recent IPO filing, Snapchat revealed its fastest growing user group are those aged over 35. 

In Q4 of 2016 there were 33 million US Snapchatters over 35. That's 10 million more than in 2015, or a 224% year-on-year increase.

Whipper Snappers

Women are leading the charge when it comes to elder Snappers. They accounted for 19.5 million unique users in the final quarter of 2016, up from 4.6 million in 2015. That's a 320% year-on-year boost.

Conversely, year-on-year growth among 24 – 34 year olds was 74%, and 24% for 18 – 25 year olds. However this could be due to early adoption within these demographics.

From little things…

Overall, Snapchat is still small-fry compared to its more senior social rivals. It commands 33% of US online users, compared to 88% for Facebook, 45% for Instagram, and 42% for Twitter.

But the surge in older users mean that gap might be closing – if Snapchat maintains its cool cred while remaining profitable.