The cost of the Internet
Every now and than do I find material that outlines how the Internet is changing the way humans interact with each other. Often, the changes are described in a positive or neutral light, sometimes blame is placed.
The article at hand describes a new study that says that the price of the Internet is less face-to-face interaction among its users.
The researchers from Stanford Institute for the Quantitative Study of Society say that those who use the Internet in the US "spend a whopping 70 minutes less daily interacting with family, 25 minutes less sleeping and 30 minutes less watching television."
They even quote another report saying that "on average, Internet users spend three hours online every day. More than half of the time is spent communicating, 8.7 percent playing games, 6.5 percent surfing and 4.3 percent shopping."
While I believe that the findings are right how to doubt the numbers until studies to the contrary are published, the conclusion might be wrong.
It is true that time is a limited factor and that the time spend on the Internet must come from some other activities. But than, may be the Internet is a new communications channel - think online conversations via MSN, IRC or Yahoo Messenger. Sure, oral conversations are not that common, but hey - my parents said that there is no conversation in a disco as well. May be, additionally, the web is allowing its users to make smarter decisions. How much time is saved to shop online instead of hanging out in the shopping mall to compare prices between different shops. And don't forget the time wasted in traffic jams.
It is the way that new communication is evolving - it is not the medium, but how the user is using the medium.
(By Asia Business Consulting)
The article at hand describes a new study that says that the price of the Internet is less face-to-face interaction among its users.
The researchers from Stanford Institute for the Quantitative Study of Society say that those who use the Internet in the US "spend a whopping 70 minutes less daily interacting with family, 25 minutes less sleeping and 30 minutes less watching television."
They even quote another report saying that "on average, Internet users spend three hours online every day. More than half of the time is spent communicating, 8.7 percent playing games, 6.5 percent surfing and 4.3 percent shopping."
While I believe that the findings are right how to doubt the numbers until studies to the contrary are published, the conclusion might be wrong.
It is true that time is a limited factor and that the time spend on the Internet must come from some other activities. But than, may be the Internet is a new communications channel - think online conversations via MSN, IRC or Yahoo Messenger. Sure, oral conversations are not that common, but hey - my parents said that there is no conversation in a disco as well. May be, additionally, the web is allowing its users to make smarter decisions. How much time is saved to shop online instead of hanging out in the shopping mall to compare prices between different shops. And don't forget the time wasted in traffic jams.
It is the way that new communication is evolving - it is not the medium, but how the user is using the medium.
(By Asia Business Consulting)
posted by Andreas @ 1:30 pm
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