Results of a nationwide survey released January 14 indicate that the Internet does not appear to be significantly reducing reliance on traditional sources of information. Conducted by the Pew Center for the People and the Press last November, the survey also shows that Internet use has nearly doubled in the past two years and that the number of women and less-affluent users is growing. Survey results suggest the Internet may have a more negative impact on news viewing than reading.
The increase in users brings to 41%, or about 74 million Americans, the portion of adults who say they use the Internet. The growth was driven by women and younger people with more modest incomes and without college education. The survey did not measure the extent to which Internet users rely on public libraries for access, but 68% of respondents said they access it at work, 47% at home, 16% at school, and 4% marked “other.”
Posted January 18, 1999.