Pew Internet & American Life Project's Press Releases
The Pew Internet and American Life Project aims to be an authoritative source for timely information on the Internet's growth and societal impact, through research that is scrupulously impartial.
Updated: 13 hours 10 min ago
Sun, 11/16/2008 - 1:00am
WASHINGTON, DC, November 16, 2008 â Although information technology is well integrated into the lives of many Americans, gadgets and communication services require, for some, a call for help. Some 48% of technology users usually need help from others to set up new devices or to show them how they function. Many tech users encounter problems with their cell phones, internet connections, and other gadgets. This, in turn, often leads to impatience and frustration as they try to get them fixed.
New research from the Pew Research Centerâs Internet and American Life Project shows that:
44% of those with home internet access say their connection failed to work properly at some time in the previous 12 months.
39% of those with desktop or laptop computers have had their machines not work properly at some time in the previous 12 months.
29% of cell phone users say their device failed to work properly at some time in the previous year.
âStruggles with modern gadgetry mean less engagement with the services they enable,â said John B. Horrigan, Associate Director of the Pew Internet Project and co-author of the report. âTime spent dealing with set-up or outages means less time using modern communication services to connect with friends or find information that might help people be more productive.â
Although tech users can usually fix the problems by themselves, with the help of friends, or by calling upon user support, some say they cannot fix tech problems at all. Here are some of the ways device owners fixed their broken technology:
38% of users with failed technology contacted user support for help.
28% of technology users fixed the problem themselves.
15% fixed the problem with help from friends or family.
15% of tech users were unable to fix their devices
2% found help online
âIn an age in which new technologies are introduced almost daily, a new gadget or service can become popular well before the technology itself is understood by the average user,â said Sydney Jones, Research Assistant at the Pew Internet and American Life Project and co-author of the report. âNaturally, some users catch on to new technology more quickly than others, and those who have more trouble grasping the technology are left confused, discouraged, and reliant on help from others when their technology fails.â
Not only did users find different solutions to their device failures, they reported varying attitudes during the course of trying to solve the problem. Overall:
72% felt confident that they were on the right track to solving the problem.
59% felt impatient to solve the problem because they had important uses for the broken technology.
48% felt discouraged with the amount of effort needed to fix the problem.
40% felt confused by the information that they were getting.
Adults who are most likely to be impatient to fix their devices are those who had the most devices fail, those who use their devices most, and those who rely more heavily on their devices for work or information.
This report is based on a survey of 2,054 adults between October 24, 2007, and December 2, 2007. Some 734 respondents in the survey were technology users who had at least one device fail in the past
Contact: John B. Horrigan or Sydney Jones at 202-419-4500.
Sun, 10/19/2008 - 12:00am
WASHINGTON -- The internet and cell phones have become central components of modern family life. Among all household types, the traditional nuclear family has the highest rate of technology usage and ownership.
A national survey of 2,252 adults by the Pew Internet and American Life Project has found that households with a married couple and minor children are more likely than other household types -- such as single adults, homes with unrelated adults, or couples without children â to have cell phones and use the internet.
89% of married-with-children households own multiple cell phones, and nearly half own three or more mobile devices.
66% of married-with-children households have a high-speed broadband internet connection at home, well above the national average for all households of 52%.
Both spouses and at least one child go online in 65% of married-with-children households.
58% of married-with-children households contain two or more desktop or laptop computers.
The survey shows that these high rates of technology ownership affect family life. In particular, cell phones allow family members to stay more regularly in touch even when they are not physically together. Moreover, many members of married-with-children households view material online together.
"Some analysts have worried that new technologies hurt family togetherness, but we see that technology allows for new kinds of connectedness built around cell phones and the internet," noted Tracy Kennedy, author of a new report about the survey called "Networked Families."
"Family members touch base with each other frequently with their cell phones, and they use those phones to coordinate family life on the fly during their busy lives."
70% of couples in which both partners own a cell phone contact each other daily to say hello or chat; 54% of couples who have one or no cell phones do this at least once a day.
64% of couples in which both partners own a cell phone contact each other daily to coordinate their schedules; 47% of couples who have one or no cell phones do this at least once a day.
42% of parents contact their child/children on a daily basis using a cell phone, making cell phones the most popular communications tool between parents and children.
Kennedy added: "A lot of families treat the internet as a place for shared experiences. They donât just withdraw from the family to their own computer for private screen time. They often say, 'Hey â look at this!' to others in the household."
Some 52% of internet users who live with a spouse and one or more children go online with another person at least a few times a week. Another 34% of such families have shared screen moments at least occasionally.
Overall, respondents in this survey see much upside and little downside in the way new technologies have affected the quality of their communications with others.
When asked if the internet and cell phones had made family life different for their current family compared with the family in which they had grown up, 25% said their family today is closer than their family when they were growing up, 11% said their family today is not as close as families in the past, and 60% said that new technologies have not made their family any more or less close than their family in the past.
However, the benefits of the internet and cell phones are somewhat counterbalanced in some families by their contribution to the speed of modern life and their role in blurring the lines between "work" and "home" life. Some 11% of employed internet users say the internet has increased the amount of time they spend working from the office, and 19% say it has increased the amount of time they spend working from home.
"Families are becoming networks," argued Prof. Barry Wellman of the University of Toronto and an author of the study. "Each household member can be her own communications hub and that changes things inside and outside the household. Family members are neither isolated individuals nor traditional actors in Fun with Dick and Jane homes. Rather, their households are active sites of the interplay of individual activity and family togetherness."
In other findings:
In the face of busy schedules and many demands on their time, Americans frequently prize their time with family members over recreational activities and relaxation. While 55% of adults are very satisfied with the amount of time they spend with their families, just 35% are very satisfied with the amount of time they are able to spend on hobbies, clubs and other activities.
Employment plays a key role in how Americans spend their time. Individuals who are employed (whether full or part time) have lower levels of satisfaction with the time they have available for family, friends and relatives, hobbies and clubs, and relaxation.
While 74% of all adults watch TV nearly every day, television continues to lose ground to the internetâparticularly among young adults. Just 58% of 18-29 year olds watch TV almost every day, and 29% say that they now watch less TV as a result of the internet.
Internet users socialize just as frequently as non-users. Indeed, even intense internet users (i.e. those who go online from home several times a day) are no less likely to socialize with friends than those who go online less frequently and those who do not go online at all.
Wed, 09/24/2008 - 12:00am
WASHINGTON, September 24, 2008 â A new national survey shows that 62% of adults who are currently employed use the internet or email at work and they have mixed views about the impact of technology on their work lives.
On the one hand, they cite the benefits of increased connectivity and flexibility that the internet and all of their various gadgets afford them at work. On the other hand, many workers say these tools have added stress and new demands to their lives.
This survey also finds that 96% of those who work use the internet, email or have a cell phone for some purpose in their lives, even if those things are not specifically tied to work. We call this larger group "Wired and Ready Workers." When they are asked about the impact of these technologies on their work lives:
80% say these technologies have improved their ability to do their job.
73% say these technologies have improved their ability to share ideas with co-workers.
58% say these tools have allowed them more flexibility in the hours they work.
At the same time, Wired and Ready Workers note various negative impacts of information and communications technologies on their work lives:
49% say these technologies increase the level of stress in their job.
49% say these technologies make it harder for them to disconnect from their work when they are at home and on the weekends.
46% say these tools increase demands that they work more hours.
"American workers have a love-hate relationship with technology," said Mary Madden, Senior Research Specialist with the Pew Research Centerâs Internet and American Life Project and co-author of the report. "Along with the benefits of increased connectivity comes a host of new issues into workersâ lives. How do you strike a work-life balance when you are always reachable by the boss? What counts as overtime work when you are 'on the clock' at all hours? How much personal online browsing can you do while you are sitting in your cubicle? These challenges pervade many work places today."
The "Networked Workers" data comes from a national sample of 2,134 adults ages 18 and older, fielded between March 27, 2008 and April 14, 2008. Some 1,482 respondents in the survey were internet users and the margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points for results based on internet users.
One of the major impacts of the internet and cell phones is that they have enabled more people to do work at least occasionally from home. Some 45% of employed Americans report doing at least some work from home and 18% of working Americans say they do job-related tasks at home almost daily.
The survey found that those who are most tethered to work are more likely to say that their gadgets and connectivity have had some negative impacts:
59% of Wired and Ready Workers who hold professional and managerial positions say communications technologies have increased demands that they work more hours, as do 56% of those who already work more than 40 hours per week.
63% of those who own Blackberries and PDAs feel as though gadgets and connectivity increase demands that they work more hours, and 30% feel as though these demands have increased "a lot."
"Email is still the primary artery of workplace communications in many professions, and it has clearly started to spill over into personal life," said Sydney Jones, co-author and Research Assistant for the Pew Internet Project. "Over time, workers have become more likely to check their email outside of normal working hours, and many are expected to do so by their employer."
Some 22% of employed email users say they are expected to read and respond to work-related emails, even when they are not at work. Blackberry and PDA owners are more than twice as likely to report that their employer expects that they will stay tuned in to email outside of the office. Fully 48% say they are required to read and respond to email when they are away from work.
50% of employed email users say they check their work-related email on the weekends. Fully 22% say that they check their work email accounts "often" during weekend hours, compared with 16% who reported the same in 2002.
46% of employed email users say they check email when they have to take a sick day; 25% say they do so "often."
34% of employed email users say they will at least occasionally check their email while on vacation; 11% say they do so "often."
Tue, 09/16/2008 - 12:00am
WASHINGTON, September 16, 2008 â The first national survey of its kind finds that virtually all American teens play computer, console, or cell phone games and that the gaming experience is rich and varied, with a significant amount of social interaction and potential for civic engagement. The survey was conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, an initiative of the Pew Research Center and was supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
The primary findings in the survey of 1,102 youth ages 12-17 include â
Game playing is universal, with almost all teens playing games and at least half playing games on a given day.
97% of American teens ages 12-17 play some kind of video game.
99% of boys say they are gamers and 94% of girls report that they play games.
Game playing experiences are diverse, with the most popular games falling into the racing, puzzle, sports, action and adventure categories.
A typical teen plays at least five different categories of games and 40% of them play eight or more different game types.
While some teens play violent video games, those who play violent games generally also play non-violent games.
Game playing is social, with most teens playing games with others at least some of the time.
76% of gaming teens play games with others at least some of the time.
82% play games alone at least occasionally, though 71% of this group also plays games with others.
65% of gaming teens play with others in the same room.
Game playing can incorporate many aspects of civic and political life.
76% of youth report helping others while gaming.
44% report playing games where they learn about a problem in society.
Game playing sometimes involves exposure to mature content, with almost a third of teens playing games that are listed as appropriate only for people older than they are.
32% of youth 12-16 in this sample play games that are listed as appropriate only for people older than they are.
32% of gaming teens report that at least one of their favorite games is rated Mature or Adults Only.
12-14 year olds are equally as likely to play Mature and Adults Only rated games as their 15-17 year old counterparts.
"The stereotype that gaming is a solitary, violent, anti-social activity just doesnât hold up. The average teen plays all different kinds of games and generally plays them with friends and family both online and offline," said Amanda Lenhart, author of a report on the survey and a Senior Research Specialist with the Pew Internet and American Life Project, which conducted the survey. "Gaming is a ubiquitous part of life for both boys and girls. For most teens, gaming runs the spectrum from blow-âem-up mayhem to building communities; from cute-and-simple to complex; from brief private sessions to hoursâ long interactions with masses of others."
A focus of the survey was the relationship between gaming and civic experiences among teens. The goal was to test concerns that gaming might be prompting teens to withdraw from their communities. It turns out there is clear evidence that gaming is not just an entertaining diversion for many teens; gaming can be tied to civic and political engagement. Indeed, youth have many experiences playing games that mirror aspects of civic and political life, such as thinking about moral and ethical issues and making decisions about city and/or community affairs.
Not only do many teens help others or learn about a problem in society during their game playing, they also encounter other social and civic experiences:
52% of gamers report playing games where they think about moral and ethical issues.
43% report playing games where they help make decisions about how a community, city or nation should be run.
40% report playing games where they learn about a social issue.
Moreover, the survey indicates that youth who have these kinds of civic gaming experiences are more likely to be civically engaged in the offline world. They are more likely than others are to go online to get information about current events, to try to persuade others how to vote in an election, to say they are committed to civic participation, and to raise money for charity.
"We need to focus less on how much time kids spend playing video games and pay more attention to the kinds of experiences they have while playing them," noted Prof. Joseph Kahne, Director of the Civic Engagement Research Group at Mills College, and co-author of the report. "Games that simulate aspects of civic and political life may well promote civic skills and civic engagement. Youth, parents, teachers, and others who work with youth should know about the wide diversity of video games â so they can take full advantage of games and their civic potential."
The study also found that these civic gaming experiences occurred equally among all kinds of game players regardless of family income, race, and ethnicity. These data stand in contrast to teensâ experiences in schools and others community situations, where white and higher-income youth typically have more opportunities for civic development.
"Digital media and specifically games are a robust part of the lives of young people," explains Connie Yowell, Director of Education at the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, which is funding a $50 million initiative to help determine how digital media are changing how young people learn, play, socialize, and participate in civic life. "This study offers us a glimpse into the potential of these new tools to foster learning and civic engagement, yet the findings about mature content suggest that parents and other adults need to be involved in young peopleâs game play, helping to realize the potential benefits while moderating unintended consequences. We see these results as the beginning of an important discussion about the role of digital media in learning, community, and citizenship in the 21st century."
The Mills College Civic Engagement Research Group has also separately issued a white paper that looks in a more detailed way at the civics findings and provides implications for parents, educators, game designers and others related to the civic potential of video game play.
Fri, 09/12/2008 - 12:00am
Washington, DC â Some 69% of online Americans use webmail services, store data online, or use software programs such as word processing applications whose functionality is located on the web.
In doing so, these users are making use of âcloud computing,â an emerging architecture by which data and applications reside in cyberspace, allowing users to access them through any web-connected device.
Online users who take advantage of âcloudâ applications say they like the convenience of having access to data and applications from any Web-connected device. At the same time, however, they express high levels of concerns about storing personal data online when presented with scenarios about possible uses of their data by companies providing cloud services.
âEven as large numbers of users turn to âcloud computingâ applications, many may lack a full understanding of possible consequences of storing personal data online,â said John B. Horrigan, Associate Director of the Pew Internet and American Life Project and author of the report. âThese findings give consumers, the technology community, and policymakers a chance to discuss the trade offs between convenience and privacy and figure out where there are needs for education to improve public understanding.â
Below is a rundown of the share of internet users who have done a select set of online activities that involve storing data online or accessing applications in cyberspace.
56% of internet users use webmail services such as Hotmail, Gmail, or Yahoo! Mail.
34% store personal photos online.
29% use online applications such as Google Documents or Adobe Photoshop Express.
7% store personal videos online.
5% pay to store computer files online.
5% back up hard drive to an online site.
Overall, 69% of online users have done at least one of these six activities, with 40% of internet users having done at least two of them.
Convenience and flexibility are the watchwords for those who engage in at least one of the cloud computing activities listed above:
51% of internet users who have done a cloud computing activity say a major reason they do this is that it is easy and convenient.
41% of cloud users say a major reason they use these applications is that they like being able to access their data from whatever computer they are using.
39% cite the ease of sharing information as a major reason they use applications in cyberspace or store data there.
At the same time, users report high levels of concern when presented with scenarios in which companies may put their data to uses of which they may not be aware.
90% of cloud application users say they would be very concerned if the company at which their data were stored sold it to another party.
80% say they would be very concerned if companies used their photos or other data in marketing campaigns.
68% of users of at least one of the six cloud applications say they would be very concerned if companies who provided these services analyzed their information and then displayed ads to them based on their actions.
The âcloud computingâ data comes from a survey of 2,251 adults between April 8, 2008 and May 11, 2008. Some 1,553 respondents in the survey were internet users and the margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points for results based on internet users.
The Pew Internet Project is a project of the Pew Research Center.
Contact: John B. Horrigan, 202-419-4500.
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