Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet & American Life Project, worked with Elon students Jan. 18 and talked about his latest research. Details...
Rainie directs a team that is analyzing the social impact of the Internet, exploring its effects on children, families, communities, the workplace, schools, health care and civic/political life.
The Pew Internet & American Life Project is working in partnership with Elon research projects led by School of Communications faculty members Janna Q. Anderson and Connie Book.
Rainie worked with students enrolled in the Winter Term class, “One Neighborhood, One Week on the Internet.” The 25 students are studying the use of the Internet by 25 families in the Ashley Woods subdivision of the Town of Elon College.
At a Jan. 18 lecture, Rainie shared the following findings:
– During a typical day, 60 million American adults go online
– E-mail is the most popular Internet activity, but an equal number of people are using the Web
– The most popular Web activities include looking for news, surfing for fun, gathering hobby information, getting weather reports and doing work-related research
– 45 percent of American adults do not have Internet access, and half of those people do not want it, saying it’s too dangerous, too expensive and unnecessary
– Minority groups are the fastest-growing segment of Internet users
– Only 15 percent of people over age 65 have Internet access, while 75 percent of those under age 30 have access
– Men are more likely to do financial activities, go to online auctions, look for hobby information, visit government agency Web sites and get sports and news
– Women are more likely to look for health information, play online games, gather religious information and look for new jobs
To visit the Pew Internet & American Life Web site, click here.