Internet Activities

 

About 63% of American adults go online.

That translates into approximately 128 million people.

 

Here are the kinds of things they do:

 

Percent of

those with

Internet

access

Most recent

survey date

 

Send e-mail

 

 

93

 

May-June 2004

 

Use a search engine to find information

 

 

84

 

May-June 2004

 

 Search for a map or driving directions

 

 

84

 

February 2004

 

Do an Internet search to answer a specific question

 

 

80

 

Nov-Dec 2003

 

Research a product or service before buying it

 

 

78

 

February 2004

 

Look for info on a hobby or interest

 

 

76

 

March-May 2003

 

Check the weather

 

 

75

 

June 2003

 

 Get travel info

 

 

73

 

May-June 2004

 

Get news

 

 

72

 

May-June 2004

 

Surf the Web for fun

 

 

67

 

March-May 2003

 

Look for health/medical info

 

 

66

 

December 2002

 

Look for info from a government website

 

 

66

 

August 2003

 

Buy a product

 

 

65

 

February 2004

 

Research for school or training

 

 

60

 

May-June 2004

 

Buy or make a reservation for travel 

 

 

55

 

May-June 2004

 

Go to a website that provides info or support for a specific medical condition or personal situation

 

 

54

 

December 2002

 

Look up phone number or address

 

 

54

 

February 2004

 

Watch a video clip or listen to an audio clip

 

 

52

 

March-May 2003

 

Do any type of research for your job

 

 

51

 

February 2004

 

Look for political news/info

 

 

49

 

May-June 2004

 

Get financial info  

 

 

44

 

March-May 2003

 

Check sports scores or info

 

 

43

 

February 2004

 

Look for info about a job

 

 

42

 

May-June 2004

 

Download other files such as games, videos, or pictures

 

 

42

 

June 2003

 

 Send an instant message

 

 

42

 

May-June 2004

 

Play a game

 

 

39

 

March-May 2003

 

Listen to music online at a website

 

 

34

 

May-June 2004

 

Look for info about a place to live

 

 

34

 

May-June 2004

 

Bank online

 

 

34

 

June 2003

 

Look for religious/spiritual info

 

 

29

 

March-May 2003

 

Search for info about someone you know or might meet

 

 

28

 

September 2002

 

Chat in a chat room or in an online discussion

 

25

 

June-July 2002

 

Research your family’s history or genealogy

 

 

24

 

March-May 2003

 

Look for weight loss or general fitness info

 

 

24

 

January 2002

 

Participate in an online auction

 

 

23

 

February 2004

 

Look for info about a mental health issue

 

23

 

June-July 2002

 

 Share files from own computer w/ others

 

 

23

 

February 2004

 

Use Internet to get photos developed/display photos

 

 

21

 

August-October 2001

 

Download music files to your computer

 

 

20

 

May-June 2004

 

Create content for the Internet

 

 

19

 

October 2002

 

Look for info on something sensitive or embarrassing

 

 

18

 

June-July 2002

 

Read someone else’s web log or “blog”

 

 

17

 

February 2004

 

Log onto the Internet using a wireless device

 

 

17

 

February 2004

 

Take part in an online group

 

 

16

 

October 2002

 

Download video files to your computer

 

 

15

 

February 2004

 

Visit an adult website

 

 

15

 

May-June 2004

 

Buy or sell stocks, bonds, or mutual funds

 

 

12

 

February 2004

 

Buy groceries online

 

 

12

 

March-May 2003

 

Take a class online for college credit

 

 

10

 

June 2003

 

Go to a dating website or other sites where you can meet other people online