Pew Internet and American Life Project: All http://www.pewinternet.org/ 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. en-us webmaster@pewinternet.org Commentary: User attitudes vary about broken - and healthy - technologies http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1522 report we discussed the malaise of some users when their technology fails, we have found in previous reports that negative feelings are not isolated to broken gadgets - some users are reluctant to engage even with healthy technology. ]]> While in a recent report we discussed the malaise of some users when their technology fails, we have found in previous reports that negative feelings are not isolated to broken gadgets - some users are reluctant to engage even with healthy technology. ]]> Commentary 2008-11-21 Commentary: Online political engagement in the U.S. and Japan http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1521 The U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, hosted a cross-cultural discussion of the internet and politics in which the word "cool" played a starring role.]]> Commentary 2008-11-20 Commentary: Youth online safety resource now available http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1520 Internet Safety Task Force, has spent the last year looking at online safety, including pre-existing research, research gaps and available solutions. As a part of the process, Andrew Schrock and danah boyd created an extensive literature review that is now available to the public.]]> The Internet Safety Task Force, has spent the last year looking at online safety, including pre-existing research, research gaps and available solutions. As a part of the process, Andrew Schrock and danah boyd created an extensive literature review that is now available to the public.]]> Commentary 2008-11-17 Report: When Technology Fails http://www.pewinternet.org/report_display.asp?r=267 Half (48%) of tech users need help from others in getting new devices and services to work, and many experience tech outages when there is a glitch with their home internet connection, computer, or cell phone. Coping with these failures is a hassle for many tech users and helps to distance them from technology use.]]> Report 2008-11-16 Release: Nearly half of technology users need help with new devices http://www.pewinternet.org/press_release.asp?r=310 Many encounter problems with their internet connections, home computers or cell phones. As gadgets become more important to people, their patience wears thin when things break. ]]> Release 2008-11-16 Commentary: Happy Dogs in a Pile of Sticks http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1519 Hunter Gatewood likens early adopters to "happy dogs in a pile of sticks" and says that in order to spread change you need to recruit the "hesitant cat, waiting to see what works."]]> Commentary 2008-11-12 Commentary: Event: Politics and the Internet http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1518 The U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, will host a discussion of politics and the internet on Wednesday, November 19.]]> Commentary 2008-11-10 Commentary: Internet Now Major Source of Campaign News http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1517 TV continues to dominate the media landscape, but the internet now rivals newspapers as a main source for campaign news.]]> Commentary 2008-11-04 Presentation: Teens, Video Games and Civics http://www.pewinternet.org/presentation_display.asp?r=254 In this presentation, Amanda discusses the Teens, Video Games and Civics report in-depth. She covers the basic demographics of teen gamers and the game-playing habits of American youth, as well as the social nature of game play and the relationship between game play and a teen's engagement in the civic, political and social life of his or her community.]]> Presentation 2008-11-02 Commentary: Participatory Medicine, Connected Health http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1516 I presented our latest data on social media and health to the Center for Connected Health's 2008 Symposium in Boston.]]> Commentary 2008-10-30 Commentary: Roundtable on recent findings and methods used in international social networking research http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1515 Association of Internet Researchers Annual Conference in Copenhagen. ]]> Earlier in October, Amanda Lenhart participated in a round table discussion on online social networks at the Association of Internet Researchers Annual Conference in Copenhagen. ]]> Commentary 2008-10-28 Presentation: Participatory Medicine http://www.pewinternet.org/presentation_display.asp?r=253 The internet has changed people's expectations of their relationship with health professionals. One possible next step is the concept of participatory medicine.]]> Presentation 2008-10-27 Commentary: Family Connections Online http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1514 Readers react to coverage of our "Networked Families" report (and at least one person is worried about the mom who feels "naked" without her Blackberry).]]> Commentary 2008-10-20 Report: Networked Families http://www.pewinternet.org/report_display.asp?r=266 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.]]> Report 2008-10-19 Release: Traditional nuclear families use the internet and cell phones to create a “new connectedness” that revolves around remote interactions and shared online experiences http://www.pewinternet.org/press_release.asp?r=309 The internet and cell phones have become central components of modern family life. ]]> Release 2008-10-19 Commentary: Modding: Games and Web 2.0 http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1513 When scholars discuss elements of gaming that hold promise for engaging youth and connecting games to learning, one thing they often point to is modding.]]> Commentary 2008-10-14 Commentary: When vinyl starts to look good again http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1512 Our tracking data from the end of last year shows that the size of the music downloading audience is larger than ever. In the American adult population alone, some 37% of internet users say they download music files online and 7% do so on a typical day.]]> Commentary 2008-10-08 Commentary: One third of video gaming teens use cheats http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1511 Teens, Video Gaming and Civics was a nugget about cheats. Not cheat-ing, but the use of "cheats" or codes to open additional content in the game]]> Deep in our recent report Teens, Video Gaming and Civics was a nugget about cheats. Not cheat-ing, but the use of "cheats" or codes to open additional content in the game]]> Commentary 2008-10-06 Commentary: Crowdsourcing a Survey: Health Topics http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1510 Logging On for a Second (or Third) Opinion. We happen to be preparing our next health survey and would like to crowdsource some of the questions, including the one which yields our most widely-quoted health statistic.]]> The New York Times quoted our data in an article entitled Logging On for a Second (or Third) Opinion. We happen to be preparing our next health survey and would like to crowdsource some of the questions, including the one which yields our most widely-quoted health statistic.]]> Commentary 2008-10-01 Commentary: The financial crisis online http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1509 Online activists and concerned citizens are using the internet to learn about the financial crisis, share their views on the proposed bailout, and organize their friends.]]> Commentary 2008-09-26 Report: Networked Workers http://www.pewinternet.org/report_display.asp?r=264
Working Americans express 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. ]]> The majority of employed adults (62%) use the internet or email at their job, and many have cell phones and Blackberries that keep them connected even when they are not at work.

Working Americans express 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. ]]> Report 2008-09-24 Release: Most working Americans now use the internet or email at their jobs http://www.pewinternet.org/press_release.asp?r=308 Many say communications technologies are a mixed blessing as they see the boundaries between work and home life blur]]> Release 2008-09-24 Commentary: Is Home Broadband Adoption Slowing? http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1508 Our August 2008 survey shows that 57% of Americans have broadband at home, just a 3 percentage point increase since December 2007. Economic conditions may mean people are putting off the upgrade to broadband.]]> Commentary 2008-09-18 Commentary: New Pew Internet/MacArthur Report on Teens, Video Games and Civics http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1507 I was sitting in my friend's living room, watching his daughters play with the family's Wii. In many way these girls are living examples of some of the main findings of a new research report issued today in partnership with the MacArthur Foundation]]> Commentary 2008-09-16 Report: Teens, Video Games and Civics http://www.pewinternet.org/report_display.asp?r=263 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.]]> Report 2008-09-16 Release: Major new study shatters stereotypes about teens and video games http://www.pewinternet.org/press_release.asp?r=307 Game playing is universal, diverse, often involves social interaction, and can cultivate teen civic engagement]]> Release 2008-09-16 Commentary: Participatory Medicine at NIH, Part 2 http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1506 The National Institutes of Health recently gathered a group of consumers and people who study them to discuss how to "chart the next course for NIH communications."]]> Commentary 2008-09-15 Commentary: Podcasting into the Cloud http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1505 Today we released new data that helps to trace the outline of the cloud in "cloud computing."]]> Commentary 2008-09-12 Report: Use of Cloud Computing Applications and Services http://www.pewinternet.org/report_display.asp?r=262 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. Online users who take advantage of cloud applications say they like the convenience and flexibility they enable. However, their message to providers of such services is: Let's keep the data between us. ]]> Report 2008-09-12 Release: Cloud computing takes hold as 69% of all internet users have either stored data online or used a web-based software application http://www.pewinternet.org/press_release.asp?r=306 Cloud Computing data memo press release]]> Release 2008-09-12 Commentary: Rural Internet Access (in China) http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1504 James Fallows writes in the current Atlantic Monthly about the power of blogging... in rural China.]]> Commentary 2008-09-10 Commentary: Safety Net Populations http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1503 A recent workshop gave me new insights into the strengths and weaknesses of our data.]]> Commentary 2008-09-08 Commentary: Aspen Summit Keynote: John Horrigan http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1502 A video of John Horrigan's keynote at the Aspen Summit is now available online. ]]> Commentary 2008-09-02 Report: Podcast Downloading 2008 http://www.pewinternet.org/report_display.asp?r=261 As gadgets with digital audio capability proliferate, podcast downloading continues to increase. Currently, 19% of all internet users say they have downloaded a podcast so they could listen to it or view it later.]]> Report 2008-08-28 Report: Whither the internet? http://www.pewinternet.org/report_display.asp?r=260 A survey at the first global Internet Governance Forum shows activists' want an online Bill of Rights and more competition among service providers.]]> Report 2008-08-27 Commentary: Health System Change: Collaborative Researchers http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1500 Center for Studying Health System Change released their latest report on how Americans gather health information (HTML report; news release).

I met with them in June and learned a bit more about how they approached this massive data set (N=18,000+).]]> Ha Tu and Genna Cohen of the Center for Studying Health System Change released their latest report on how Americans gather health information (HTML report; news release).

I met with them in June and learned a bit more about how they approached this massive data set (N=18,000+).]]> Commentary 2008-08-26 Report: The Engaged E-patient Population http://www.pewinternet.org/report_display.asp?r=259 People turn to the internet for health information when the stakes are high and the connection fast.]]> Report 2008-08-26 Commentary: Changing news audience behavior http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1499 A new kind of news consumer emerges as a quarter of the population blends news sources rather than relying on one platform. ]]> Commentary 2008-08-23 Presentation: User Behavior and the Climate for Innovation http://www.pewinternet.org/presentation_display.asp?r=252 Follow the link below to the text of John Horrigan's keynote speech to the Progress and Freedom Foundation's Aspen Summit. The Summit's theme was "unlocking innovation" and the speech talks about what user behavior tells us about the current climate for innovation.]]> Presentation 2008-08-22 Commentary: Video viewing on an Olympic scale http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1498 Beijing Olympics fans are going online to find the videos they want, when they want them.]]> Commentary 2008-08-14 Report: Search Engine Use http://www.pewinternet.org/report_display.asp?r=258 The percentage of internet users who use search engines on a typical day has been steadily rising from about one-third of all users in 2002, to a new high of just under one-half (49%).]]> Report 2008-08-06 Commentary: No Longer in the News, Earthquake Survivors Face a Painful Recovery http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1497 Media focus in China turned away weeks ago from the May 12 earthquake to the Beijing Olympics, which begin in just a few days.]]> Commentary 2008-08-05 Commentary: New Health Data http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1496 Who's Online, Internet Activities, and Daily Internet Activities.

Two of the new data points relate to health and health care.]]> The Pew Internet Project recently updated our top three Latest Trends charts: Who's Online, Internet Activities, and Daily Internet Activities.

Two of the new data points relate to health and health care.]]> Commentary 2008-07-30 Commentary: OneWebDay is less than two months away http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1495 OneWebDay asks us to think about the internet and participatory democracy. Here are some datapoints on how people use the internet to get unfiltered access to campaign information]]> This year, OneWebDay asks us to think about the internet and participatory democracy. Here are some datapoints on how people use the internet to get unfiltered access to campaign information]]> Commentary 2008-07-28 Commentary: New numbers for blogging and blog readership http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1494 Because blogs have been in the news lately with the Netroots Nation and BlogHer conferences recently wrapping up, it seemed like an opportune time to post our latest figures for blogging and blog readership.]]> Commentary 2008-07-22 Commentary: Internet Access Among Older Adults http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1493 AP story about how John McCain is not a frequent internet user, so I thought I'd highlight some sources for people who want to explore the numbers for themselves.]]> Pew Internet Project data is quoted in an AP story about how John McCain is not a frequent internet user, so I thought I'd highlight some sources for people who want to explore the numbers for themselves.]]> Commentary 2008-07-21 Commentary: Doctors' Digital Footprints http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1492 A recent JAMA article warns doctors to follow their own digital footprints since patients may be doing so already. But is searching for information about a doctor so different from searching for information about a neighbor, classmate, or colleague?]]> Commentary 2008-07-18 Commentary: Do we have a right to online privacy? http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1491 hearing on Wednesday about the privacy implications of online advertising.]]> The Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing on Wednesday about the privacy implications of online advertising.]]> Commentary 2008-07-11 Commentary: Degrees of Access (May 2008 data) http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1490 Our latest data on the penetration of internet connections, cell phones, and home broadband are captured in three "thermometers" of access.]]> Commentary 2008-07-09 Presentation: Degrees of Access (May 2008 data) http://www.pewinternet.org/presentation_display.asp?r=251 Three "thermometers" of access show the disparities among various groups when it comes to internet access, cell phone use, and broadband access at home. ]]> Presentation 2008-07-09 Commentary: Patriotic Participation http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp?r=1489 Something important is afoot in the land when people are able to access and share "industrial strength" information instead of being satisfied with the "consumer strength" information previously offered to them. ]]> Commentary 2008-07-07