Study: Internet Users Using The Internet

from the that-seems-logical dept

According to a new study, the internet is fulfilling its promise, serving as an important source of information for people’s decision making. Did you know, for example, that people are now using the internet to research colleges and get health information? The Pew researchers, who conducted the study, chalk it up to ubiquitous broadband and the proliferation of quality content online. This seems pretty obvious, to the point of being tautologically true. More importantly, these kinds of studies miss the point in understanding the internet. It’s not just another content platform, but a communications tool. To say that the internet is an important source of information is like saying that the telephone is an information source when people call 411. Again, it seems pretty obvious, and makes you wonder who is spending money on these studies.


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Comments on “Study: Internet Users Using The Internet”

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33 Comments
Jeremy Boyd says:

Re: Internet Study

Our tax dollars that’s who!! The feds spend our tax dollars to find out that the internet is a tool

Don’t be an idiot. 1) Our tax dollars are not a “who” – they’re a “what,” but that doesn’t matter since they’re being spent, not doing the spending. 2) The Pew Group is a non-profit organization that conducts surveys in a lot of areas of daily life. Uncle Sam’s not footing the bill.

While the survey seems a little misguided, I for one am surprised by the data. I thought a lot more than 45% of internet users would rely on the Net for important decisions. So the survey may be instructive even if it only serves to tear down misconceptions.

Anonymous Coward says:

Thanks for that already quite obvious information. I’m so glad that the Pew research center is keeping up on current events.

Funny – if they hadn’t already figured all that out, how solid can their polls possibly be..

Oh by the way – for the guy who came up with the idea for this study/poll… Your village called, their idiot is missing..

lol

Road says:

Important Decisions

45% is probably not a acurrate number. If someone came up to you and said “rate 1 to 5 how many important decision’s you make are based off the internet.” Are you honestly going to say 5. The fact that the original information for the decision came from the web AKA Advertising, Phone number, Location, Contacts, and Normal Q&A sorts of questions is a no brainer. But your not going to say that the decision you made was souly based of the Internet…. So the survey is already flawed.

Anonymous Coward says:

Re: Obvious on paper

not all research is that worthwhile, but still… we can’t misinterpret data until we have it 🙂

As far as research is concerned, I’ll take the good with the bad, for the sake of not relying on my own biased opinion about how the world is. I have no particular fondness for this type of study or its methodology, but it’s better than saying “I know everything, I won’t do any research”

Cody (user link) says:

Non-Profit

Did anybody notice this is a not-for-profit company that completed this survey? Volunteers did it. You guys are seriously running out of things to complain about if you want to laugh at a survey that is checking into what internet users are actually using the internet for. Not only can this be used for marketing, and national defense, but it can tell you exactly where the world is heading. Quit complaining about the use of your tax dollars, they’re going to get spent on whatever the government wants. You don’t want stupid things done, quit electing Bush.

kevinakira6968 says:

Re: Re: Non-Profit

He wasn’t calling Bush out for studies being done, just stupid things in general. Read his WHOLE comment.

Yesterday I was at a retail store, looking at a selection of media, and of course it is difficult to pick an item based on a title or a short description, so….I called my wife on her “in” cell phone (free airtime, of course), gave her titles, and she looked up reviews on the internet. I got 4 quality used items for less than $20, 3 of them with no case or anything (only the disc). Would not have purchased them without the reviews. Technology and the internet….how wonderful!!!!

Kevin (user link) says:

Techdirt Study: Studies are dumb

Jeez, do you guys read beyond headlines before posting your nuggets of wisdom? Of course communication is a more important aspect of the Internet, but that wasn’t the point of the study, was it? Go read the full reports and some background on the project, then come back and tell us why exactly this research is pointless.

I have no affiliation or particular fondness for the Pew studies, I just wanted to vent about your inane commentary (with some inane comments of my own). Thanks. 🙂

SecretC says:

Re: Re: LOL :D

this new technology allows us (with reduced speed) to visit sites like myspace, runescape, YOUTUBE!, and much much more. It cant be blocked or anything, it is not a site or any url, you just click the start button and begin. leave comments questions or any other information and this new technology 15 yr olds came up with.

Mike (profile) says:

I love looking back at these old articles.

Imagine..people using the internet to research schools! What a concept. If only we had some PC remote access software that could travel back in time and let users get a peek at the things that await them…They might be shocked to see how truly little has changed. I mean, beyond bandwidth, what has changed in the last 3 years on the web? Nada, if you ask me..

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