2017 Digital Future Project

Surveying the Digital Future

The 15th annual study on

the impact of digital
technology on Americans
The 2017 Digital Future Report

Surveying the Digital Future

Year Fifteen

Jeffrey I. Cole, Ph.D.

Director, Center for the Digital Future at USC Annenberg
Founder and Organizer, World Internet Project

Michael Suman, Ph.D., Research Director

Phoebe Schramm, Associate Director
Liuning Zhou, Ph.D., Project Manager

Interns:
Chad Blickenstaff
Immanuel Harice
Joanna Kim
Joanna Liu
Laia Lloret
Nare (Rae) Melikjanyan
Shruthi Selvan
Michelle Veriah
Tingbo Wang
Iris Wang
Bingru Xue

Written by Harlan Lebo

Production editing by Monica Dunahee

The 2017 Digital Future Report

Surveying The Digital Future

Year Fifteen

Copyright 2017 University of Southern California

Copies
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Center for the Digital Future at USC Annenberg

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Questions
Email: info@digitalcenter.org

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(310)235-4444
www.digitalcenter.org
Contents: 2017 Digital Future Project – Year Fifteen
Surveying The Digital Future – Year Fifteen 1
America on the internet 5
1. Do you use the internet? 6
2. Hours per week online 6
3. Using the internet at home: hours per week 7
4. Using the internet away from home, work, or school 8
5. Activities on the internet: communications 8
6. Activities on the internet: communications never used 9
7. Activities on the internet: social networking 9
8. Activities on the internet: fact-finding, information sources, and education 10
9. Going online for school work 11
10. Activities on the internet: information gathering 12
11. Activities on the internet 14
12. Online activities never done by some internet users: nine-year trends 15
13. The internet at work 16
14. The internet at work: active use 16
15. The internet at work: non-work activities 17
16. Productivity and the internet at work 18
17. Productivity and the internet at work (by age) 19
18. Connecting to the internet: types of devices 20
19. Surfing the web 21

Communication technology: impact on the world 22

20. Communication technology: how does it affect the world? (users) 22
21. Communication technology: how does it affect the world? (non-users) 23
22. Communication technology: how does it affect the world? 24

Internet non-users 25
Internet non-users: views about not going online 26
23. Internet non-users: were they ever online? 26
24. Internet non-users: reasons for not being online 27
25. Internet non-users: will they go online? 27

Media use and trust 28

Information on the internet: reliability and accuracy 29
26. Reliability of information online (users and non-users) 29
27. Information online: is it reliable? (users vs. non-users) 30
28. Online information: reliability and accuracy of information on frequently-visited
websites 31
29. Information from media, government, individuals, search engines,
and social media: reliability and accuracy 32
 30. Government websites: reliability and accuracy 34
31. Media web pages: reliability and accuracy 34
32. Information posted by individuals: reliability and accuracy 35
33. Information on social networking sites: reliability and accuracy 36
34. Information provided by search engines: reliability and accuracy 36

Views about regulation and the internet 37

35. The internet and government regulation 37
36. The internet and government regulation (by political views) 38

Using offline media 39

37. Offline media 39
38. Offline and online media 40

Going online for media content – free or paid 41

39. On-demand television and movies 41
40. Subscription or fee-based movies 42
41. Watching movies from peer-to-peer file sharing services 42
42. Content from online movie services 43
43. Subscription or fee-based online news 44
44. Subscription or fee-based television programs 44
45. Watching television through a free streaming service 45
46. Online music: streaming and purchases 46
47. Will viewers give up cable television and watch online programming instead? 47

Watching video content on PCs and smartphones 48

48. Watching video content on PCs 48
49. Watching video content on smartphones 48

Newspapers: print and online 49

50. Would you miss the print edition of your newspaper? 49
51. Alternatives to print newspapers 50

Mobile phone functions 51

52. Use of mobile phone functions 51
53. Use of mobile phone functions: six-year trends 52

Sending and receiving messages online 53

54. Online messages: how quickly should one reply? 53

Consumer behavior 54
55. How many Americans are buying online? 55
56. Online spending 56
57. How much are online purchasers spending? 56
58. Types of online purchases 57
59. What would lead buyers to make more online purchases? 57
 60. What would lead buyers to make more online purchases? (men vs. women) 58
61. What would lead buyers to make more online purchases? (by age) 60

Buying online: privacy concerns and credit card security 61

62. Privacy concerns when buying online 61
63. Privacy: comparing concerns among internet users vs. non-users 62
64. Privacy concerns (internet non-purchasers vs. purchasers) 62
65. Credit card information: concerns about security 63
66. Credit card security concerns (users vs. non-users) 64
67. Credit card information concerns (internet non-purchasers vs. purchasers) 66

Buying: online vs. traditional retail stores 67

68. Buying online: effects on traditional retail purchasing 67
69. Browsing and buying products: retail stores vs. the internet 68
70. Browsing and price-comparing in stores and online with a mobile device 69
71. Browsing in stores and buying online on-the-spot with a mobile device 70
72. Using smartphones to buy products 71

Communication patterns 72
73. Time spent socializing face-to-face with family 73
74. Time spent socializing with family (users vs. non-users) 74
75. Time spent socializing with family (users by age) 75
76. Time spent socializing face-to-face with friends 75
77. Time spent socializing face-to-face with friends (users vs. non-users) 76
78. Time spent socializing face-to-face with friends (users by age) 77
79. The internet and social relationships 78
80. The internet and social relationships (by age) 78
81. Texting and social relationships 79
82. Importance of texting to maintain social relationships (by age) 80
83. The internet, social networking sites, and texting in maintaining
social relationships (at-a-glance) 81
84. Friends met online, then met in person 82
85. The internet’s effects on social contact 82
86. The internet’s effects on social contact: 2007-2016 83
87. Are you ignored because of television or the internet? 83
88. Are you ignored because of mobile devices? 84
89. Time spent with clubs and volunteer organizations 85
90. Time spent with clubs and volunteer organizations (users vs. non-users) 85

Views about privacy while online 86

91. Views about privacy 86
92. Privacy of personal information and companies tracking online behavior 87
93. Privacy of personal information and companies’ ability to protect 87
Online bullying and harassment 88
94. Have you been bullied or harassed online? 88
95. Online bullying and harassment (men vs. women) 88
96. Online bullying and harassment (by age) 89
97. Online bullying and harassment: impact 89
98. Online bullying and harassment: impact (men vs. women) 90
99. Do you know someone who has been bullied or harassed online? 91
100. Do you know someone who has been bullied or harassed online? (men vs. women) 92
101. Do you know someone who has been bullied or harassed online? (by age) 92
102. Negative online experience 93

Unwanted sexual attention online 94

103. Have you received unwanted sexual attention online? 94
104. Unwanted sexual attention online (men vs. women) 94
105. Unwanted sexual attention online (by age) 95
106. Receiving negative attention online: at a glance by age 96

Social networking and video sharing sites 97

107. Why do users visit websites for video sharing and social networking? 97
108. Regular personal contact through Facebook, Twitter, or Google Plus 98
109. Maintaining contact with messages on social networking sites (men vs. women) 98
110. Importance of social networking websites for maintaining relationships 99
111. Importance of social networking sites for maintaining relationships (by age) 100
112. Social networking websites and concerns about privacy 101
113. Concerns about the privacy of personal information on
social networking sites: men vs. women 102
114. Concerns about the privacy of personal information on social networking sites 103
115. Altering a Facebook profile to avoid embarrassment 104

Online dating 105

116. Online dating sites 105
117. Online dating sites: reaction to the experience 106

Online connection to companies: Twitter, Facebook, and

group coupons 107
118. Companies followed on Twitter 107
119. Companies friended on Facebook 108
120. Following companies or brands on Facebook or Twitter: reasons why 109
Children and the internet 110
121. Internet use: the right amount of time for children? 111
122. Television viewing: the right amount of time for children? 112
123. Video games: the right amount of time for children? 112
124. The internet and schoolwork: children’s views 113
125. Internet use and school grades: the adults’ view 114
126. Internet use and television viewing: use as a punishment tool 115

Children, parents, and social networking 116

127. Do adults monitor children’s behavior on social networking sites? 116
128. Do adults monitor their children’s behavior on social networking
sites? (reasons why not) 117
129. Do you have your children’s passwords for social networking sites? 118
130. Instantaneous online communication impact on the quality of children’s lives 118
131. Mobile phones and Facebook: what age is appropriate for children? 119

Political power and influence 120

The internet and the political process 121
132. The internet’s importance in political campaigns 121
133. The internet’s importance in political campaigns (users) 122
134. The internet’s importance in political campaigns (non-users) 122
135. Is the internet a tool for political influence? 123
136. The internet as a tool for political influence (users) 124
137. The internet as a tool for political influence (non-users) 124
138. The internet: a tool for better understanding politics 125
139. The internet: a tool for better understanding politics (users) 126
140. The internet: a tool for better understanding politics (non-users) 127
141. Does the internet give people more say in what the government does? 128
142. Does the internet give people more say in what the government does? (users) 129
143. Does the internet give people more say in what the government does? (non-users) 129
144. The internet as a tool to help gain political power 130
145. The internet as a tool to help gain political power (users) 131
146. The internet as a tool to help gain political power (non-users) 131
147. At a glance: views about the internet and politics during Presidential campaign years 132
148. At a glance: views about the internet and politics: users vs. non-users 133

The internet and free speech about politics & government 134
149. Personal political expression on the internet: is it safe to say whatever
you think while online? 134
150. On the internet, it is safe to say whatever you think about politics (users) 135
151. On the internet, it is safe to say whatever you think about politics (by political views) 135
152. I feel comfortable saying whatever I think about politics 136
153. I feel comfortable saying whatever I think about politics (users) 136
 154. Criticizing the government while online 137
155. Criticizing the government while online (users by political views) 138
156. Criticizing the government while online (respondents by political views) 138
157. Free speech and extreme ideas while online 139
158. Free speech and extreme ideas while online (users) 139
159. Free speech and extreme ideas while online (by political views) 140
160. Political views: users vs. non-users 141
161. Political views: users since 2000 142

2017 Digital Futures Project: Trends and Issues 143

Supplement 1: Center for the Digital Future at USC Annenberg 147
Supplement 2: The World Internet Project – International Contacts 148
Supplement 3: Research methods and demographic data 150
 1

The 2017 Digital Future Report

Surveying The Digital Future

Fifteen annual studies on the impact of digital technology

Welcome to “Surveying the Digital Future,” the findings from the annual survey by the Center for the
Digital Future at USC Annenberg on the impact of the internet and related technology on Americans.
This report marks the completion of the 15th annual study by the Center of the views and behavior of
internet users and non-users in the United States. After 15 studies, we continue to find profound and
enlightening information about how digital technology is changing American life.
You will find details about these changes – findings on more than 100 issues – in the pages that follow, as
well as details about specific topics of note in the Trends section beginning on page 143.
The Center continues this work in its role as one of the first research organizations to devote its primary
efforts to exploring the views and behavior of internet users and non-users in the United States. The
Center was the first to develop a longitudinal panel study of these issues; the annual report we produce is
the longest continuing study of its kind.
The Center initiated its work in 1999, and we published our first study in 2000. This project has become
the focal point of comprehensive, year-to-year examination of the impact of online technology in the
United States.
The objective of our 15threport is the same as the first: to explore actions and opinions related to the use –
or non-use – of online technology, as well as to chronicle the emergence of changes as they occur.
The ongoing evolution in digital technology and how Americans adapt to these developments are primary
focal points of our research. Through our 15 studies, we have found that online behavior changes
constantly, and the views and behavior of both users and non-users adjust as technology emerges, and then
thrives, fades away, or morphs in new directions. This report, the 14 studies that preceded it, and those that
will follow, represent our commitment to chronicle this fascinating relationship between technology and
behavior.
This work is part of the World Internet Project, which is organized and coordinated by the Center for the
Digital Future at USC Annenberg. Included in the World Internet Project are the Center’s work and
partner studies in countries in North America, Europe, South America, Asia, the Middle East, Australasia,
and Africa.

The Center for the Digital Future at USC Annenberg: Exploring the internet’s impact
We created this project because the internet represents the most important technological development of
our generation; its effects may surpass those of television and could someday rival those of the printing
press. If similar research had been conducted on television as it evolved in the late 1940s, the information
would have provided policy-makers, the media, and ultimately historians with insights about how
broadcasting changed the world.
Our objective is to ensure that the Digital Future Project studies online technology and capitalizes on the
opportunity that was missed as television developed. By beginning our study of the internet early in its
evolution as a worldwide communication and information-gathering tool, we are able to better understand
the effects of the internet as it grows, and not as a postscript after it has matured.
 2

To achieve this objective, the Digital Future Project surveys individuals in more than 2,000 households
across the United States, compiling the responses of internet users and non-users. Each year we contact the
same households to explore how online technology affects the lives of those who continue to use the
internet, those who remain non-users, and those who move from being non-users to users, and vice versa.
(Those households that drop out of the survey sample are replaced with new ones.) We are also noting
changes in behavior and views as users shift their internet access from traditional desktop computers to
other devices, starting with laptops several years ago, then tablets, and now smartphones.
The Digital Future Project is not restricted to investigating a particular method of accessing the internet.
The project also explores many aspects of change on the internet and its evolving applications; such as
social networking, unwanted attention online, bullying, the cloud, and online dating. We will continue to
monitor digital technology as it transforms in unexpected ways.

Why an ongoing study of the internet?

The Digital Future Project differs from most other studies of the internet in five principal areas:
 The Digital Future Project looks at the social impact of the internet – Most internet
studies gather data about who is online, how long they are online, and what they do online.
The Digital Future Project also compiles this information, but then examines the implications
of the use of online technology, and links this use to a broad range of values, behavior,
attitudes, and perceptions.
 The project focuses on internet non-users as well as users – The Digital Future Project
follows how the behavior and views of internet users differ from those of non-users.
Especially important is noting changes in the behavior and views of individuals who are
initially non-users and later become users.
 The project looks at the same group of people year after year – The Digital Future
Project comprehensively examines the effects of the internet over the course of years on the
same group of people. The research team maintains a core sample of respondents, and tracks
short-term and long-term changes in their behavior, lifestyle, attitudes, and internet use.
 A worldwide effort – The Center for the Digital Future at USC Annenberg created and
organizes the World Internet Project, which includes the Digital Future Project and similar
studies in countries worldwide (for contacts of the worldwide partners, see page 148).
Through this team of international partners, the World Internet Project studies and compares
changes associated with the internet in different countries and regions, creating an
international picture of change in online technology, use, and impact.
 A principal goal of the Digital Future Project is to engage government and private
industry decision-makers who can create policy based on our findings – For this project
to be truly effective, we involve public and private organizations that are committed to using
our results. We have been allied with an unprecedented array of corporations – several of
which are direct competitors – and foundations, all of whom are engaged with us in an
ongoing dialogue about the issues we explore in our studies.
 3

The Digital Future Project: Key Areas

The current Digital Future Report includes findings that explore the views and behavior of users, and
compare internet users to non-users.
The survey is organized into five general subject areas:
 Internet Users And Non-Users: Who Is Online? Who Is Not? What Are Users Doing
Online?
 Media Use And Trust
 Consumer Behavior
 Communication Patterns
 Social Effects

The 2017 Digital Future Report includes a broad sampling of more than 100 major issues from this year’s
survey.
We hope you will be enlightened by our 15thstudy of the views and behavior of Americans, as we continue
to develop our understanding of how the internet is transforming our world.

Jeffrey I. Cole, Ph.D.

Director, Center for the Digital Future at USC Annenberg
Founder and Organizer, World Internet Project
 4

The 2017 Digital Future Report

Surveying The Digital Future

Year Fifteen

Each Digital Future Project explores more than 100 major issues in
broad categories involving the impact of online technology in the
United States.

This report explores only a sampling of the findings from the

survey. For more detailed data, contact the Center for the Digital
Future at info@digitalcenter.org.

For trends and issues in this year’s findings, see page 143.
 5

America on the internet

Percentage of American internet users 92%

Average hours per week online 23.6

Average hours per week

online at home 17.6

Internet users who go online

on a mobile phone 82%

Hours online at work (weekly) 14.3

Hours actively using the internet

at work (weekly) 10.1
 6

1. Do you use the internet?

In all of the Digital Future studies, large percentages of respondents have reported being internet users –
more than two-thirds (67 percent) in 2000, and 80 percent or more since 2008. In the current Digital
Future study, 92 percent of respondents are internet users, up slightly from 90 percent reported in 2015.

Do you use the internet?

(All respondents)

(Q200 K-1)

2. Hours per week online

The average number of hours that users go online has reached a new high level – now 23.6 hours per week,
increasing only marginally over 2015.
The average number of hours spent online each week is now more than twice the number reported in
2000. Even though regular internet use was already the norm at the turn of the millennium, the average
number of hours spent online each week since then has continued to increase every year except one (2010).
For more on this issue, see the Trends section on page 143.
Weekly hours online
(Internet users)

(Weekly hours online U-1)

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3. Using the internet at home: hours per week

As with the total number of hours spent online per week (see the previous question), the average hours per
week spent online from home has continued to grow to the current level of 17.6 hours, another new high
for the study.
Internet use at home has increased by more than 500 percent since 2000, and more than 100 percent since
2005.
For more on this topic, see the Trends section on page 143.

Internet use at home: hours per week

(Internet users)

(Q350 U-1)
 8

4. Using the internet away from home, work, or school

The average hours per week spent online away from work, home, or school continued to grow in the
Digital Future study; although a relatively small amount of internet use – 2.1 hours per week – the average
is nevertheless the highest number reported thus far in the surveys and more than double the hours since
2013.

How many hours per week do you use the internet from locations other than home, work, or school, ,
such as internet cafes, other people's homes, libraries, etc.?
(Internet users)

(Q412 U-1)

5. Activities on the internet: communications

Large percentages of users frequently go online to send or receive email, but much smaller percentages go
online at least daily for other communication-related activities, such as instant messaging, to make or
receive phone calls, and to post messages on discussion boards.
The current Digital Future study found that 89percent of internet users said they check their email at least
daily (defined as once a day or several times a day). Fifty-five percent said they send instant messages at
least daily, while 16 percent make or receive phone calls and 15 percent post on discussion boards that
often.

Internet activities: communication services

(Internet users)

(Q708A U-1)
 9

6. Activities on the internet: communications never used

What communication tools do internet users never use? The number of users who do not make or receive
online phone calls continues to decline.
In the current study, 49 percent of users never make or receive online phone calls, down 28 percentage
points from 2010. Thirteen percent of users said they never send instant messages, down from 25 percent
in the previous study and down from 48 percent from 2010.
The number of people who never post on discussion boards (41 percent) or never check email (two
percent) has remained relatively stable since 2014.

Internet activities: communication services

(Internet users - never)

(Q708A U-3)

7. Activities on the internet: social networking

Which communication services do users access frequently?
Stable percentages of internet users report going online at least daily to post messages or comments on
social networking sites (35 percent in the current study), or to post content they have created (16 percent in
the current study). However, a steadily growing number of users go online at least daily to share links or
repost content created by others – now 32 percent, an increase for the third year in a row and the highest
percentage reported thus far in the Digital Future studies.

Internet activities: communication services

(Internet users –several times a day and daily)

(Q708A U-4)
 10

8. Activities on the internet: fact-finding, information sources, and education

Large percentages of internet users go online at least weekly for basic information (several times a day,
daily, or weekly).
The percentages of internet users who go online at least once daily to look up a definition, fact-check, or
get information for school remain at or near peak levels in the Digital Future study – now 37 percent for
daily fact-checking, and 25 percent for looking up a definition.
Nearly two-thirds of users who are students go online at least once daily get information for school (65
percent). For more on this issue, see the Trends section on page 143.
Sixty-nine percent of internet users go online at least weekly for fact-finding, and 55 percent go online for
looking up the definition of a word.

Internet activities: fact-finding, information sources, distance learning

(Internet users)

(Q708E U-1) (Schoolwork numbers are for users who are students)

Use of the internet at least daily for fact-finding, looking up definitions, and school work has increased
consistently for 10 years, more than doubling in that time in each of these categories.

Internet activities: fact-finding, information sources, distance learning

(Internet users – several times a day and daily)

(Q708E U-2)
 11

9. Going online for school work

Almost two-thirds of internet users in the current Digital Future study who are students (65 percent) go
online for school-related work – more than double the 32 percent reported in 2007.

Internet activities: information for school-related work

(Internet users who are students)

(Q708B U-3)
 12

10. Activities on the internet: information gathering

Large percentages of internet users go online regularly for news, as well as for health and travel
information, but smaller percentages seek job information, read blogs, or look for humorous content.
Fifty-three percent of users go online to look for news at least daily, and 73 percent of users go online for
news at least weekly.
Forty-one percent go online at least weekly to look for jokes or humorous content, 32 percent to read
blogs, and 28 percent to look for health information.

Internet activities: information gathering

(Internet users)

(Q708B U-1)

Internet activities: information gathering

(Internet users – several times a day and daily)

(Q708B U-2)
 13

10. Activities on the internet: information gathering (continued)

Some types of online information are not typically gathered on a daily basis by large percentages of users,
such as content about jobs, travel, and health issues.
Looking at users who never go online for such services shows generally stable percentages since 2007 for
users who never go online for job and travel information, and generally similar percentages have remained
relatively constant since 2012.

Internet activities: information gathering

(Internet users – never)

(Q708B U-3)
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11. Activities on the internet

Eighty-five percent of users report going online at least weekly (defined as several times a day, daily, or
weekly) to generally browse the web, and 71 percent do so to visit social networking sites.
The next highest percentages were reported for those who download or watch videos (60 percent)
followed by those who download or listen to music (56 percent), or play games (44 percent).

General internet activities

(Internet users)

(Q708C U-1)(Questions about sexual content asked only of users age 18 and older)

Internet users reported the highest percentages thus far for daily use of many of the general online
activities in the Digital Future studies. Only the percentage for playing games has declined from the
previous year.

General internet activities

(Internet users – several times a day and daily)

(Q708C U-2)(Questions about sexual content asked only of users age 18 and older)
 15

12. Online activities never done by some internet users: nine-year trends
What do some internet users never do online?
Comparing current findings to 2007 about the activities that some internet users never do shows the largest
drop in the percentages of those who do not go online for phone calls – now 49 percent, a drop from 91
percent in 2007.The percentage of those who never go online to download or watch videos has declined to
19 percent of users, down from 57 percent in 2007.
The number of internet users who said that they never use instant messaging or texting has declined to 13
percent of users – an all-time low for the Digital Future studies.
General internet activities
(Internet users – never)

(Q708A-E U-1a, b, and c)

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13. The internet at work

The number of hours employed internet users go online at work has continued to increase in the current
Digital Future study.
The average number of hours online at work has grown or remained stable in every study since this
question was first asked in 2003, and has now reached an average of 14.3hours per week – the highest level
reported to date and more than double the amount reported in 2003.
For more on this topic, see the Trends section on page 143.

How many hours per week do you use the internet at work, not in the home?
(Internet users who are employed)

(Q370 U-1)

14. The internet at work: active use

Year-to-year comparisons show that every Digital Future study except 2005, 2006, 2012, and now the
current study found that the amount of time that internet users are connected while at work has either
remained stable or increased.
We also examined active use of the internet at work. In the current study, the amount of time that users
said they are actively using the internet at work has decreased to 10.1 hours, the lowest level since 2010.

Internet use at work: average hours per week of active online use
(Internet users who access the internet at work)

(Q370 x 400 U-1)

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15. The internet at work: non-work activities

Although users report a modest decline in hours they are actively using the internet at work for business
purposes (see the previous question), a growing percentage of users in the current study who go online at
work said they use the internet for non-work related reasons, such as chatting, web surfing, instant
messaging, and reading and writing personal emails.
Ninety-four percent of users who go online at work said they use the internet for non-work activities – an
increase from 89 percent in 2015.
The highest percentage of users thus far in the Digital Future study said they sometimes or often go online
at work for non-work activities– now 61percent, up from 58 percent in 2015.

Do you go online at work for non-work activities?

(Internet users age 16 and older who use the internet at work)

(Q493 U-1)
 18

16. Productivity and the internet at work

Does the internet make users more productive at work? In the most current three years of the Digital
Future studies, the percentages who said their productivity has stayed the same or improved has remained
generally stable.
Sixty percent of users said their productivity has improved somewhat or a lot because of the internet, the
same as in 2015 and well below the peak of 71 percent in 2007.
The small percentage of users who said that internet access at work has worsened their productivity
somewhat or a lot increased to six percent – up marginally from five percent in 2015.

Internet access at work: views about performance and productivity

(Internet users age 16 and older who use the internet at work)

(Q491 U-1)
 19

17. Productivity and the internet at work (by age)

The percentages of users who said that their productivity has improved because of the internet are greatest
among users 50 and over (63 percent) – perhaps as a result of younger respondents not having the
experience of working without digital technology.

Internet access at work: views about performance and productivity

(Internet users age 16 and older who use the internet at work)

(Q491 A-1)

Looking at views about productivity by age and internet at work since 2006 shows that, in general, the
percentages who said that their performance and productivity has improved because of online access has
either declined steadily (ages 35-54 and 55-64) or has remained generally the same for several years (ages
18-34).

Internet access at work: views about performance and productivity – improved a lot/somewhat
(Internet users age 16 and older who use the internet at work)

(Q491 A-2)
 20

18. Connecting to the internet: types of devices

Mobile or smartphones are the most common devices used for daily connection to the internet – notably
more than the use of personal computers, tablets, or eReaders.
Eighty-two percent of users go online at least daily through their phones – this compared to 73 percent of
users who go online with a computer. Only 30 percent of users access the internet on a daily basis through
a tablet or eReaders.
However, when the window is expanded to internet access at least weekly, users report using computers
(85 percent) and phones (86 percent) at nearly the same level. Tablets or e-readers lag behind at 46 percent.
For more on this issue, see the Trends section on page 143.

Tell us which devices you use to connect to the internet

(Internet users)

(Q426A U-1) (Multiple responses possible)

 21

19. Surfing the web

The Digital Future study continues to find that going online without a specific destination is reported as
one of the most popular internet activities.
Eighty-five percent of internet users report they often or sometimes go online without a specific
destination – marginally above the 84 percent reported in 2014 and 2015.

How often do you go online without a specific destination?

(Internet users)

(Q292 U-1)
 22

Communication technology: impact on the world

20. Communication technology: how does it affect the world? (users)
Does communication technology make the world a better or worse place?
The percentage of internet users who said communication technology makes the world a better place
declined in 2015 to the lowest level yet reported in the Digital Future studies (51 percent). However, in the
current study that number rose marginally to 52 percent.
The percentage of users who said that communication technology makes the world a worse place dropped
to 13 percent in the current study after reaching a high for the studies in 2015 (16 percent).
For more on this issue, and the questions on the next two pages, see the Trends section on page 143.

Has communication technology made the world a better place or a worse place?
(Internet users age 16 and older)

(Q180 U-1)
 23

21. Communication technology: how does it affect the world? (non-users)

Internet non-users have increasingly negative views about the role of communication technology in the
world.
The percentage of internet non-users who said that communication technology made the world a worse
place has increased to 43 percent, its highest level in the Digital Future studies, up from 36 percent in 2015.
The percentage of non-users age 16 and older who said that communication technology made the world a
better place decreased for the second year in a row – now 35 percent, down from 43 percent in 2015 and
47 percent in 2014.

Has communication technology made the world a better place, or a worse place?
(Internet non-users age 16 and older)

(Q180 N-1)
 24

22. Communication technology: how does it affect the world?

Looking at responses by age of those who said communication technology has made the world a better
place shows that the biggest changes are reported by the youngest and the oldest.
Forty-nine percent of respondents under 18 said that communication technology makes the world a better
place, down considerably from 57 percent in 2015. However, growing percentages of respondents age 65
or over said communication technology makes the world a better place: 50 percent of those ages 65-74 (up
from 44 percent in 2015), and 47 percent of respondents age 75 or over (a significant increase from 30
percent in 2015).
Views among respondents ages 18-34, ages 35-54, and ages 55-64 have remained generally stable or
changed only marginally in the current study compared to 2015.

Has communication technology made the world a better place?

(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q180 A-1)
 25

Internet non-users

Internet “dropouts”
(percentage of non-users who
previously went online) 27%

Will non-users go online

in the next year?
(not likely at all) 62%

Reason for not going online:

No computer/device 39%
No interest 17%
 26

Internet non-users: views about not going online

23. Internet non-users: were they ever online?
Have non-users ever gone online? Of respondents in the current study who are not currently using the
internet, only 27 percent had previously gone online – 12 percentage points below 2014 and slightly above
2015.

Did you ever use the internet?

(Internet non-users - yes)

(Q540 N-1)
 27

24. Internet non-users: reasons for not being online

Why are internet non-users not online? In the current study, the most-cited reason for not using the
internet was lack of a computer/device, reported by 39 percent of non-users– a substantial increase from
the 27 percent who reported the same response in 2015.
The second most-cited reason for not being online was lack of knowledge, reported by 27 percent of non-
users–up from 25 percent reported in 2015.
The percentage of non-users who reported that they had no time or were too busy has dropped to zero
from the two percent reported in 2014 and 2015.
For more on this issue, see the Trends section on page 143.

Reasons for not going online

(Internet non-users)

(Q591 N-1)

25. Internet non-users: will they go online?

More than half of internet non-users (62 percent) in the current survey said they are not likely at all to go
online in the next year – the highest number since 2012 and the first increase since 2010.
Only eight percent of non-users said they are “very likely” to go online in the next year, the lowest number
to date – a finding that may indicate that non-users believe their barriers to being online are unlikely to
change.
How likely will you be to use the internet within the next year?
(Internet non-users)

(Q610 N-1)
 28

Media use and trust

Users who said most or all information is reliable
- online 37%
- posted on government sites 75%
- posted on established media sites 63%

Users who read print newspapers who

would read the online edition
of their paper if the print edition
ceased publication 55%

Users who agree or strongly agree that

the government should regulate
the internet more than it does now 21%
 29

Information on the internet: reliability and accuracy

26. Reliability of information online (users and non-users)
Internet users reported generally stable views about the reliability of online information. However, this
year’s Digital Future study found the lowest number of users reporting that most or all of the information
on the internet overall is reliable– 37 percent, compared to 40 percent in 2015 and 43 percent in 2014.
Similarly, the number of users reporting that only a small portion or none of the information on the
internet overall is reliable hit a new ten-year high (17 percent).

How much of the Information on the internet overall do you think is reliable?
(Internet users)

(Q160 U-1)

Comparing findings for non-users from 2006 to 2016 shows that attitudes vary significantly from year to
year. The percentages of non-users who said that most or all of the information online is reliable have
remained generally stable for five years.
Notably, the percentage of non-users who said most of the information is reliable has declined for three
years in a row, while the percentage who said that all of the information found online is reliable has
increased every year for the same period.

How much of the Information on the World Wide Web overall do you think is reliable?
(Internet non-users)

(Q160 N-1)
 30

27. Information online: is it reliable? (users vs. non-users)

In the current Digital Future study, belief in the reliability of information found online is higher among
internet users compared to non-users.
Thirty-seven percent of users said that most or all of the information online is reliable, compared to 32
percent of non-users who responded to the same question. Similarly, only six percentage points separate
the two groups who responded “about half.”
The gap is larger among those responding that less than half of information online is reliable: 17 percent of
users compared to 28 percent of non-users said only a small portion or none of the information on the
internet overall is reliable.

How much of the information on the internet overall do you think is reliable?
(All respondents)

(Q160 R-1)
 31

28. Online information: reliability and accuracy of information on frequently-visited websites

Compared to their views about online information overall, internet users continued to report much more
confidence in the reliability and accuracy of information on the websites they visit regularly.
However, the percentage of users who report that most or all of the information on websites they visit
regularly is reliable and accurate has declined to the lowest level thus far in the Digital Future studies.
Sixty-six percent of users in the current study said that most or all of the information on the websites they
visit regularly is reliable and accurate, down from 69 percent in 2015, a decline for the fourth year in a row,
and substantially below the peak of 83 percent in 2007 and 2006.

How much of the information on the websites

that you visit regularly do you think is reliable and accurate?
(Internet users who regularly visit websites)

(Q170 U-1)
 32

29. Information from media, government, individuals, search engines, and social media:
reliability and accuracy
How do internet users view the reliability and accuracy of key types of information found online?
While content posted by the government and information provided by search engines is considered
generally reliable and accurate by large and stable percentages of internet users, the percentage who said
postings by established media are reliable and accurate declined to 63 percent – a new low for the Digital
Future studies.
Seventy-four percent of users said the information posted on government sites is generally reliable and
accurate – a level that has been stable since 2014. The percentage who said that information provided by
search engines is generally reliable and accurate increased slightly to 52 percent of respondents in the
current study, up from 50 percent in 2015.
Even the much-lower percentages of respondents who said that information posted by individuals or on
social networking sites is reliable and accurate have changed only marginally since 2009; in the current
study the percentage of users who said that information posted by individuals is reliable and accurate
increased slightly to 17 percent, up from 15 percent in 2015. .
For more on this issue, see the Trends section on page 143.

How much information posted by these organizations and individuals do you think is generally reliable and accurate?
(Internet users who regularly visit websites – most or all)

How much information posted by these organizations and individuals do you think is generally reliable and accurate?
(Internet users who regularly visit websites – none/a small portion)

(Q173 U-6 and U-7)

 33

29. Information from media, government, individuals, search engines, and social media:
reliability and accuracy (continued)
In 2015, only trust in established media showed a decline. Conversely, in 2016 it is the only category which
showed an increase – reaching a new high level since 2009. While the other four categories all showed
declines over 2015, overall attitudes remain relatively stable since 2009.

How much information posted by these organizations and individuals do you

think is generally reliable and accurate?
(Internet users who regularly visit websites – about half)

(Q173 U-8)

For specific findings on users' views about reliability and accuracy of information posted by the
government, media, individuals, posted on social media, or provided by search engines, see the next three
pages.
 34

30. Government websites: reliability and accuracy

Seventy-four percent of users reported that most or all information on government websites is reliable and
accurate – only the third time in 11 years that the number has dropped below 75 percent.
In the current study, nine percent of internet users who regularly visit websites said that a small portion or
none of the information on government websites is reliable and accurate – the same percentage as in 2015.

Reliability and accuracy of government websites

(Internet users who regularly visit websites)

(Q173 U-3)

31. Media web pages: reliability and accuracy

Until 2012, more than 70 percent of users said that most or all of the information they find on websites
hosted by established media is reliable and accurate.
In the current study, however, that percentage has dropped below 70 percent for the fourth year in a row.
Sixty-three percent of users said that most or all of the information posted by established media is reliable
and accurate, the lowest level yet.
The numbers saying about half (25 percent) or none/small portion (12 percent) are both at the highest
level to date.

Reliability and accuracy of news pages posted by established media

(Internet users who regularly visit websites)

(Q173 U-1)
 35

32. Information posted by individuals: reliability and accuracy

As in all of the previous Digital Future studies, very small percentages of internet users believe that
information posted by individuals is reliable and accurate.
In the current study, 17 percent responded that most or all of the information is reliable, up slightly from
15 percent in 2015. Since 2006, between 14 and 17 percent of users believe that most or all of the
information posted by individuals is accurate.
However, at the other extreme, the percentage who said that only a small portion or none of the
information on web pages posted by individuals is reliable and accurate has increased marginally to 44
percent of internet users – up from 43 percent in 2015.

Reliability and accuracy of information web pages posted by individuals

(Internet users who regularly visit websites)

(Q173 U-2)
 36

33. Information on social networking sites: reliability and accuracy

Reinforcing the views about the reliability and accuracy of information posted by individuals, internet users
reported similar low levels of faith about the reliability and accuracy of information they find on social
networking sites such as Facebook.
For the second year in a row, only 11 percent of internet users said that most or all of the information on
social networking sites is reliable and accurate. At the same time, the percentage who said that none or a
small portion of information on social networking sites is reliable and accurate increased to 49 percent, up
marginally from 48 percent in 2015.
Those reporting that about half is reliable and accurate decreased marginally.
Reliability and accuracy of information on social networking sites such as Facebook
(Internet users who regularly visit websites)

(Q173 U-5)

34. Information provided by search engines: reliability and accuracy

Fifty-two percent of users said that most or all of the information provided by search engines such as
Google is reliable and accurate, up from 50 percent in 2015 but significantly below the 64 percent reported
in 2005 and 2006.
Those who said that a small portion or none of the information provided by search engines is reliable and
accurate remained at 14 percent of users.

Reliability and accuracy of information provided by search engines

(Internet users who regularly visit websites)

(Q173 U-4)
 37

Views about regulation and the internet

35. The internet and government regulation
Consistently small percentages of respondents in the Digital Future studies said that the government
should regulate the internet more than it does now, and that percentage declined in the current study.
Twenty-one percent of all respondents agree or strongly agree that the government should regulate the
internet more, down marginally from 22 percent reported in 2015.
The percentage of those who disagree with more government regulation of the internet has increased –
now 60 percent of respondents, up from 56 percent in 2015.

The government should regulate the internet more than it does now
(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q195E R-1)

Looking specifically at internet users shows marginally higher levels of disagreement with the idea of more
government regulation of the internet. Sixty-one percent of users age 16 and older disagree or strongly
disagree with more government regulation of the internet (below), compared to 60 percent of respondents
age 16 and older (above).

The government should regulate the internet more than it does now
(Internet users age 16 and older)

(Q195E U-1)
 38

36. The internet and government regulation (by political views)

Large percentages of respondents with all political viewpoints said that the government should not increase
its regulation of the internet.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents who identify themselves as either conservative (64 percent) or liberal (65
percent) disagree or strongly disagree that the government should regulate the internet more than it already
does.

The government should regulate the internet more than it does now
(Disagree or strongly disagree – respondents age 16 and older)

(Q195E P-1)
 39

Using offline media

37. Offline media

In 2016, the number of hours spent using every category of offline media decreased or remained the same
as the previous year.
Respondents in the current study spent an average of 12 hours per week watching television, down
marginally from the 13 hours reported in 2015.
In contrast, respondents spent a combined total of five hours reading offline publications (books,
magazines, and newspapers), marginally lower than the six hours reported in 2015.

Leisure hours spent weekly on offline media

(All respondents)

(Q690 R-1a-b)
 40

38. Offline and online media

Overall, respondents in the current study reported the lowest number of hours with offline media of any
year in the Digital Future project – now 28 hours, down from the previous low of 31 hours.

Total leisure hours spent weekly on offline media

(All respondents)

(Q690 R-2)

By comparison, internet users reported a steadily increasing number of hours with online media – now 13
hours weekly, the highest number of hours reported thus far in the studies.

Total leisure hours spent weekly online media

(Users)

(Q700U-1)
 41

Going online for media content – free or paid

39. On demand television and movies

A large percentage of internet users watch television programs on demand on their televisions, computers,
or mobile devices; 53 percent reported this viewing sometimes or often.
About one-third of internet users do not watch television programs on demand.

Watch television programs via your cable or satellite service on demand on your TV, computer or mobile device
(Internet users)

(Q701B U-7)

Compared to on-demand viewing of television programs, a similar percentage – 49 percent – watches

movies on demand sometimes or often.

Watch movies via your cable or satellite service on demand on your TV, computer or mobile device
(Internet users)

(Q701B U-8)
 42

40. Subscription or fee-based movies

Fifty-one percent of internet users in the current Digital Future study sometimes or often pay to watch
movies online, up marginally from 50 percent in 2014 and 2015.
Notably, 38 percent of internet users said they never watch online movies for a fee, the same as in 2015.

Watch movies online for which you have paid a subscription or fee
(Internet users)

(Q701B U-4)

41.Watching movies from peer-to-peer file sharing services

While large percentages of internet users pay for online movies, only a small number of users watch movies
online that were acquired from a peer-to-peer file sharing service such as Bit Torrent or Pirate Bay.
Nine percent of users sometimes or often watch movies online from a peer-to-peer file sharing service,
down from 12 percent in 2015.

Watch movies online acquired from a peer-to-peer file sharing service

(Internet users)

(Q701B U-5)
 43

42. Content from online movie services

Large percentages of internet users who pay for an online movie service such as Hulu, Netflix, or Amazon
watch all forms of content on those services.
Of particular note is the 87 percent of users who use these services for the rapidly-developing field of
original productions – a percentage nearly equal to the 91 percent who watch television shows and 88
percent who watch theatrical motion pictures after release.

With your online movie service (such as Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon), which of the following do you watch?
(Internet users with online movie service)

(Q702C U-1)
 44

43. Subscription or fee-based online news

Very small percentages of internet users reported that they sometimes or often read subscription news
online for a fee – now 13 percent, up marginally from 11 percent in 2015. Seventy-nine percent never pay
for online news, the same as in 2015.

Read news online for which you have paid a subscription or fee
(Internet users)

(Q701B U-1)

44. Subscription or fee-based television programs

A growing percentage of internet users pay a subscription fee to watch television programs online on
platforms such as Netflix or Hulu Plus.
Thirty-nine percent of users said they sometimes or often watch paid television programs online, up from
35 percent reported in 2015.

Watch television programs online for which you have paid a subscription or fee
(Internet users)

(Q701B U-2)
 45

45.Watching television through a free streaming service

Thirty-seven percent of internet users sometimes or often watch television programs online through a free
streaming service, up marginally from 36 percent in 2015.
Forty-two percent of users in the current study never watch free online television programs, down from
the 43 percent reported in 2015.

Watch television programs online through a free streaming service

(Internet users)

(Q701B U-3)
 46

46. Online music: streaming and purchases

A significant percentage of internet users – 37 percent –sometimes or often paid for streaming music.

How often do you listen to music online for which you have paid a subscription or fee
(such as through Spotify, Napster, Amazon or Apple Music)
(Internet users)

(Q701B U-6)

Compared to respondents who listen to music online, an even smaller percentage reported buying music
sometimes or often on the internet through iTunes, Amazon, or Google Play.

Buy music online as MP3s (such as through iTunes, Amazon or Google Play)
(Internet users)

(Q701B U-9)
 47

47. Will viewers give up cable television and watch online programming instead?
A growing number of internet users may “cut the cord.”
The percentage of internet users who said they are likely or very likely to cut back or give up their cable or
satellite service and watch online television instead continued to increase in the current study – now 37
percent, up significantly from 30 percent in 2015.
The number of internet non-users who said they will give up cable or satellite in favor of watching
television online has dropped to only two percent – a low for the Digital Future studies and more
validation that non-users expect to remain offline as indicated in Q610 (see page 27).

How likely are you to cut back on or even give up your cable or satellite service
and watch television only online?
(Respondents who have cable or satellite service – likely or very likely)

(Q706A R-1)

How likely are you to cut back on or even give up your cable or satellite service
and watch television only online?
(Respondents who have cable or satellite service – unlikely or very unlikely)

(Q706A R-2)
 48

Watching video content on PCs and smartphones

48. Watching video content on PCs
Large percentages of internet users who watch video content on PCs reported watching a wide range of
programming, the most popular being how-to videos (52 percent), music videos (41 percent), and news
clips (40 percent).
The percentage of users who view feature films was the only category of video content viewing to increase
in the current study (now 27 percent, up from 24 percent in 2015).

Video content watched on internet-connected PC

(Internet users)

(Q1215A U-1) (Multiple responses possible)

49. Watching video content on smartphones

Mirroring the results for PCs, more users watch how-to videos on their smartphones (50 percent) than any
other category. News clips and music videos are the next most popular categories (44 percent for each).

Video content watched on smartphone

(Internet users with smartphones in the household)

(Q1215C U-1) (Multiple responses possible)

 49

Newspapers: print and online

50. Would you miss the print edition of your newspaper?
Large percentages of internet users who continued to read print newspapers remain loyal to their
publications. The percentage of those who would miss the print edition of their paper increased only
marginally in the current study – possibly because the remaining print readership has declined to the point
where loyalty is the strongest.
Sixty-one percent of internet users who read a print newspaper reported that they would miss the paper if
it ceased to exist, down marginally from 60 percent in 2015.
At the other extreme, the percentage who would not miss their print paper is generally stable – now 24
percent, down from 25 percent in 2015 and 2014.

I would miss the print edition of my newspaper if it was no longer available

(Respondents who read newspapers offline)

(Q703 U-2)

Broken down by age, similar percentages reported that they would miss their offline newspaper.

I would miss the print edition of my newspaper if it was no longer available – somewhat/strongly agree
(Respondents who read newspapers offline)

(Q703 A-1)
 50

51. Alternatives to print newspapers

How would readers of print newspapers fill the gap if their paper was no longer published?
A majority of respondents in the current study – 55 percent – said they would switch to the online edition
of their newspaper, about the same as the 54 percent reported in 2015.
With multiple responses possible, 85 percent said they would turn to an online source (either the online
edition of their paper or other online source). Sixty-one percent would use radio or television as an
alternative to their print newspaper.
However, less than one-fourth of print newspaper readers said they would turn to the print edition of
another newspaper if their current newspaper was no longer published – a new low for the Digital Future
studies.

If your newspaper were to stop publishing its print edition, where would you go to get that information?
(Users who read newspapers offline)

(Q704A U-1) (Multiple responses possible)

 51

Mobile phone functions

52. Use of mobile phone functions
For the first time, texting has edged out talking as the most common function – now used by 93 percent of
internet users with a mobile phone or smart phone – an increase of six percentage points over 2015.
Ninety-two percent of users with mobile phones or smart phones use their device for talking, the same
number reported in 2015.
Taking videos showed the greatest increase over 2015 (nine percentage points), followed by social
networking, streaming video/music, and instant messaging (eight percentage points).

Use of mobile phone functions

(Internet users who use mobile/smart phones)

(Q149 S-1a and S-1b)

 52

53. Use of mobile phone functions: six-year trends

The growth in the use of functions available through mobile phones or smart phones from 2010 to 2016
has been remarkable in several categories. Accessing the internet had the greatest increase (61 percentage
points) followed by GPS mapping services (59 percentage points) and email (58 percentage points).

Use of mobile phone functions – Five-year trend

(Internet users who use mobile/smart phones)

(Q149 S-2)
 53

Sending and receiving messages online

54. Online messages: how quickly should one reply?
Internet users want fast response to online communication.
Large and growing percentages of internet users said that a quick response to personal messages received
online is most appropriate.
Seventy percent of users said that one should reply in one day or as soon as possible, up marginally from
69 percent in 2015 and the highest response thus far in the Digital Future studies.
At the other extreme, 11 percent said a reply should be sent “whenever one can get around to it” or that
replying is not necessary, down from 14 percent in 2015 and the lowest level reported in the studies.

How quickly should one reply to a personal message received online?

What do you feel is the appropriate length of time?
(Internet users)

(Q264 U-1)
 54

Consumer behavior

Adult users who buy online 2000 45%

2016 83%

Internet users who are very concerned

or extremely concerned about the
privacy of personal information
when or if buying online 2001 66%
2016 48%

Internet users who are very concerned

or extremely concerned about the
security of credit card information
when or if buying online 2001 71%
2016 45%

Internet users who said that online

purchasing has reduced their buying
in traditional retail stores 2000 65%
2016 75%
 55

Consumer behavior
55. How many Americans are buying online?
In the current study, 83 percent of internet users age 18 and older said they buy online, up from 80 percent
in 2015 and a new peak for the Digital Future studies.

Users who purchase online

(Internet users age 18 and older)

(Q770 U-3)
 56

56. Online spending

Internet purchasers in the current study reported a modest increase in monthly spending online – now
$117 per month, up from $109 in 2015.

In an average month, how much do you personally spend on products or services purchased over the internet?
(Internet purchasers age 18 and older)

(Q770 U-1)

57. How much are online purchasers spending?

The number of internet purchasers age 18 and older who spend $101-$1,000 per month increased to 23
percent, up from 20 percent in 2015; those spending more than $1,000 per month increased marginally,
from near-zero to one percent.
Sixty percent of internet purchasers spent $1-$100 monthly, the same as in 2015.

In an average month, how much do you personally spend on products or services purchased over the internet?
(Internet purchasers age 18 and older)

(Q770 U-2)
 57

58. Types of online purchases

Compared to earlier studies, every category of product purchased recorded slightly smaller or the same
percentages of internet buyers compared to 2015.

What kind of products or services have you purchased on the internet?

(Internet purchasers)

(Q810 U-1)

59. What would lead buyers to make more online purchases?

For the last four years of the study, better prices, cheaper shipping, and fast delivery have been the most
important factors that would lead internet purchasers to buy more online. (In 2012, fast delivery was
surpassed by no sales tax.)
While better prices was reported by the largest percentage of internet purchasers in the current study as a
motivator to encourage more online buying (73 percent), fast delivery (67 percent) saw the greatest growth
over 2015, while the percentage looking for cheaper shipping declined slightly (64 percent).
Promotions/coupons (60 percent) and user review of products (36 percent) also experienced growth over
2015 and reached their highest levels in the study.
The largest drop reported was for “products/services unavailable near me” – down six percentage points
from 2015.

What could lead you to purchase more online?

(Internet purchasers)

(Q811 U-1)
 58

60. What would lead buyers to make more online purchases? (men vs. women)
Looking at the views among men and women about factors that lead to more online purchasing, more than
half of women cited better prices (71 percent), followed by fast delivery (68 percent), cheaper shipping (67
percent), promotions/coupons (66 percent), no sales tax (61 percent) and easy returns (59 percent).
More than half of men reported better prices (76 percent), followed by fast delivery (66 percent), no sales
tax (63 percent), cheaper shipping (62 percent), and promotions/coupons (55 percent) as factors that could
lead them to purchase more online.
The biggest gaps between men and women in motivating factors that would lead to more online buying are
easy returns and promotions/coupons – each factor preferred by 11 percentage points more women than
men.

What could lead you to purchase more online?

(Internet purchasers)

(Q811 G-1)
 59

60. What would lead buyers to make more online purchases? (men vs. women continued)
The ranking of factors by men and women is remarkably similar, with the same four categories appearing
at the top of the scale.
Among men, the percentages in five of the nine categories remained the same. For those that recorded a
change, the greatest shift was in product/service unavailable nearby (five percentage point decrease).
Women’s views varied more widely since 2015. Only one category (easy returns) reported the same figure
as in 2015. The greatest changes were in fast delivery (six percentage point increase), and product/service
unavailable nearby (five percentage point decrease).

What could lead you to purchase more online?

(Internet purchasers - Male)

(Q811 G-2)

What could lead you to purchase more online?

(Internet purchasers - Female)

(Q811 G-3)
 60

61. What would lead buyers to make more online purchases? (by age)
Across different age groups, responses in the current study show that with most features, there are
generally similar percentages of purchasers reporting reasons that could lead to more purchasing.
However, higher percentages of internet purchasers under 18 compared to other age ranges cited cheaper
shipping, more user reviews, no sales tax, and more choices as reasons that could lead to increased online
buying.
Purchasers age 18-34 reported the highest percentages for fast delivery and better prices

What could lead you to purchase more online?

(Internet purchasers)

(Q811 A-1)
 61

Buying online: privacy concerns and credit card security

62. Privacy concerns when buying online
The percentage of Americans who reported some level of concern about the privacy of personal
information when or if they buy online has dropped marginally in the current Digital Future study.
Ninety-one percent of respondents age 16 and older expressed some level of concern (somewhat
concerned, very concerned, or extremely concerned) about the privacy of their personal information when
or if buying online, down from 93 percent in 2015.
However, respondents reporting the highest levels of concern(very or extremely concerned) decreased to
49 percent, down from 54 percent in 2015.

Concerns about privacy of personal information when or if buying online

(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q840 R-1)
 62

63. Privacy: comparing concerns among internet users vs. non-users

Comparing the concerns of users and non-users regarding the privacy of personal information when or if
buying online shows that much larger percentages of non-users expressed the highest levels of concern.
Sixty-six percent of internet on-users reported the highest levels of concern (very concerned or extremely
concerned), compared to 48 percent of users. Forty-four percent of users are only somewhat concerned,
compared to 13 percent of non-users.

Concerns about privacy of personal information when or if buying online

(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q840 R-2)

64. Privacy concerns (internet non-purchasers vs. purchasers)

Are internet users who buy online less concerned about the privacy of personal information than users
who do not buy online?
Although almost all internet users expressed some level of concern about the privacy of personal
information when or if buying online, the current study found lower percentages of purchasers who are
very or extremely concerned (44 percent) compared to non-purchasers (57 percent).

Concerns about privacy of personal information when or if buying online

(Internet users age 16 and older)

(Q840 U-1)
 63

65. Credit card information: concerns about security

Almost all respondents continued to reported some concerns about credit card security when or if they buy
online, and the current Digital Future study found that the percentage of respondents expressing the
highest levels of concern has decreased.
The current study found that 46percent of respondents age 18 and older who have a credit card are very
concerned or extremely concerned about credit card security when or if buying online, down from 51
percent in 2015 and dipping below half for only the fourth time.
However, the total respondents who expressed some level of concern has remained generally stable –
varying between 89 percent and 94 percent in every year of the study.

How concerned would you be about the security of your credit card or bank card information
when or if you ever bought something online? Would you be...?
(Respondents age 18 and older who have a credit card)

(Q830 R-1)
 64

66. Credit card security concerns (users vs. non-users)

Non-users expressed much more concern than users about the security of their credit card information
when or if they would ever buy online.
Forty-five percent of users with a credit card compared to 65 percent of non-users said they would be very
concerned or extremely concerned about their card security when or if buying online.

How concerned would you be about the security of your credit card or bank card information
when or if you ever bought something online? Would you be...?
(Respondents age 18 and older who have a credit card)

(Q830 R-2)
 65

66. Credit card security concerns (users vs. non-users) (continued)

With the exception of a few modest peaks, concerns about credit card security have remained high but
have declined modestly since these questions were asked in 2007.
In the current study, 65 percent of non-users age 18 and older who have a credit card said they are very or
extremely concerned about the security of their credit cards when or if they bought online – this compared
to 76 percent in 2007.
How concerned would you be about the security of your credit card or bank card information
when or if you ever bought something online? Would you be...?
(Internet non-users age 18 and older who have a credit card)

(Q830 (N-1)

How concerned would you be about the security of your credit card or bank card information
when or if you ever bought something online? Would you be...?
(Internet users age 18 and older who have a credit card)

(Q830 (U-1)
 66

67. Credit card information concerns (internet non-purchasers vs. purchasers)

Internet purchasers and non-purchasers reported broad differences in the highest levels of concern about
their credit card security, with non-purchasers still more concerned.
Forty-three percent of purchasers compared to 59 percent of non-purchasers age 18 and older who have a
credit card said they would be very concerned or extremely concerned about credit card security when or if
buying online.

How concerned would you be about the security of your credit card or bank card information
when or if you ever bought something online? Would you be...?
(Internet users age 18 and older who have a credit card)

(Q830 U-2)
 67

Buying: online vs. traditional retail stores

68. Buying online: effects on traditional retail purchasing
How does buying online affect buying in retail stores?
Seventy-two percent of internet users who buy online said that their internet purchasing reduces their retail
purchasing somewhat or a lot, up significantly from 62 percent in 2015.
Twenty-nine percent of internet buyers said their online buying has had no effect on their traditional in-
store retail purchasing, down from 38 percent in 2015.
For more on this issue and the topics on the next four pages, see the Trends section on page 143.

Does buying online affect purchasing in traditional retail stores?

(Internet users who buy online)

(Q860 U-1)
 68

69. Browsing and buying products: retail stores vs. the internet
Large percentages of users who buy online will sometimes or often browse on the internet and then buy in
stores, while smaller percentages browse in stores and then buy online.
Ninety percent of those who purchase on the internet said that they sometimes or often browse online and
then buy in traditional retail stores, up from 87 percent who reported that response in 2015.
Eighty-one percent of users said they browse in stores and then buy online, up from the 77 percent
reported in 2015 and the highest level to date.

Internet buyers who browse online, then buy in stores

(Internet users who buy online)

(Q910 U-1)

Internet buyers who browse in stores, then buy online

(Internet users who buy online)

(Q900 U-1)
 69

70. Browsing and price-comparing in stores and online with a mobile device
Growing numbers of respondents are going online with a mobile device while in a store to conduct on-the-
spot price comparisons.
In the current study, 75 percent of online purchasers who browse locally but buy online said they have
compared prices on a mobile device while in a store to see if there is a better deal available on the internet,
up from 70 percent in 2015, and 26 percentage points higher than in 2012.

Have you ever done a price comparison on your mobile device while in the store
to find if there is a better deal available online?
(Online purchasers who browse for products in local stores but purchase online)

(Q901A U-1)

Sixty-four percent of users said they have used a mobile device while in a store to determine if a better deal
was available at another store nearby – up from 55 percent in 2015 and more than twice the number
reported when this question was first asked in 2012.

Have you ever done a price comparison on your mobile device while in the store to
find if there is a better deal available at some store nearby?
(Internet users)

(Q902 U-1)
 70

71. Browsing in stores and buying online on-the-spot with a mobile device
Do online purchasers who browse in local stores buy products online while in a traditional retail store?
Thirty-four percent of online purchasers who browse locally but purchase online said they have purchased
a product online with a mobile device while in a store – up from 28 percent in 2015 and almost three times
the percentage reported in 2012.

Have you ever purchased a product online on your mobile device while in the store?
(Online purchasers who browse for products in local stores but purchase online)

(Q901C U-1)

For thirty-one percent of these purchases, the buyers have used another retailer’s website, while 48 percent
have ordered from both the store and another retailer’s website.

Was the purchase from the store's web site or from another online retailer?
(Online purchasers who have purchased a product online on a mobile device while in the store)

(Q901DU-1)
 71

72. Using smartphones to buy products

How often do smartphone owners use their phones for purchasing? In the current study, smartphone users
buy products with their phones an average of 3.2 times per month, an increase from 2.5 times per month
in 2015 and the highest number to date.

How many times per month on average do you use your smartphone to buy products?
(Internet users who use smartphone)

(Q152 S-1)
 72

Communication patterns

Users who said the internet

is important or very important
for maintaining social relationships 62%

Mobile phone users who said texting

is important or very important
for maintaining social relationships 69%

Average number of friends

met in person whom they
originally met online 2010 2.4
2016 6.0

Users who have been

bullied or harassed online 14%

Users who have received

unwanted sexual attention online 23%
 73

Communication patterns
73. Time spent socializing face-to-face with family
The amount of time that respondents spend socializing face-to-face with their families has remained
generally stable since 2007, averaging about 17 hours per week.
In the current Digital Future study, respondents reported a marginally higher amount of time socializing
face-to-face with their family – now 17 hours per week, up from 16hours in 2015.

During a typical week, how many hours do you spend socializing face-to-face with your family?
(All respondents)

(Q1140 R-1)
 74

74. Time spent socializing with family (users vs. non-users)

Internet users in the Digital Future studies generally reported spending more time than non-users
socializing face-to-face with their families. However, in the current study, internet users reported spending
two hours less per week socializing face-to-face with their families compared to non-users.

During a typical week, how many hours do you spend socializing face-to-face with your family?
(All respondents)

(Q1140 R-2)
 75

75. Time spent socializing with family (users by age)

Internet users of all ages in the Digital Future study said they generally spend about the same amount of
time socializing face-to-face with their families as in previous years. For the third year in a row, users age
35-54 spent the most time face-to-face with their family (19 hours per week). The lowest figure was
reported by users age 70 or older (14 hours per week).

During a typical week, how many hours do you spend socializing face-to-face with your family?
(Internet users age 18 and over)

(Q1140 A-1)

76. Time spent socializing face-to-face with friends

As with time spent socializing with family (see page 73), respondents reported generally consistent amounts
of time spent socializing face-to-face with friends outside of school or the office in most years in the
Digital Future studies.
In the current study, respondents said they spend an average of seven hours each week socializing face-to-
face with friends, the same as in 2015.

During a typical week, how many hours do you spend socializing face-to-face with your friends
(outside school/outside office hours)?
(All respondents)

(Q1160 R-1)
 76

77. Time spent socializing face-to-face with friends (users vs. non-users)
Users and non-users in most years of the Digital Future studies reported socializing face-to-face about the
same amount of time with friends.
However, in the current study, non-users reported socializing face-to-face with friends an average of nine
hours weekly, up from five hours in 2015. By comparison, users reported spending six hours per week
socializing face-to-face with friends, down marginally from seven hours in 2015.

During a typical week, how many hours do you spend socializing face-to-face with your friends
(outside school/outside office hours)?
(All respondents)

(Q1160 R-2)
 77

78. Time spent socializing face-to-face with friends: users by age

Internet users of all ages in the Digital Future studies spend varying amounts of time socializing face-to-
face with friends. Users age 18-34 and those age 70 or older spend the most amount of time face-to-face
with their friends (8 hours per week in the current study).

During a typical week, how many hours do you spend socializing face-to-face with your friends
(outside school/outside office hours)?
(Internet users age 18 and over)

(Q1160 A-1)
 78

79. The internet and social relationships

A large and growing percentage of internet users said that going online helps them maintain social
relationships.
Sixty-two percent of users said the internet is important or very important in maintaining social
relationships, up from 60 percent in 2015 and the highest level reported in the Digital Future studies.
Twenty percent said that the internet has no importance in maintaining their social relationships – down
from 21 percent in 2015 and the lowest level so far in the studies.

How important is the internet for helping you maintain social relationships
(Internet users)

(Q218AU-1)

80. The internet and social relationships (by age)

The internet is considered important for maintaining social relationships by users of all ages, but as age
increases, that view becomes less pronounced.
The percentage of those who consider the internet important or very important for social relationships is
highest among users who are 18-34 (73 percent), followed by those under age 18 (65 percent). Slightly
smaller percentages of users ages 35-54 (64 percent) and age 55 and older(48 percent) said the internet was
important or very important for social relationships.

How important is the internet for helping you maintain social relationships
(Internet users by age)

(Q218A A-1)
 79

81. Texting and social relationships

Compared to internet users who said that going online is important for maintaining social relationships, an
even larger percentage of mobile phone users (69 percent) continued to report that texting is important or
very important for them to maintain social relationships – the highest percentage thus far in the Digital
Future studies.
Only 16 percent of mobile phone users said texting is not important for maintaining their social
relationships – down from 21 percent in 2015 and the lowest level to date.

How important is texting for helping you maintain social relationships?

(Mobile phone users)

(Q218EU-1)
 80

82. Importance of texting to maintain social relationships (by age)

As with views about the importance of the internet for maintaining social relationships (see page 78), larger
percentages of younger users compared to older users consider texting important to maintaining social
relationships.
Eighty percent of users age 18-34 said that texting is important or very important in maintaining social
relationships, down marginally from the81 percent reported in 2015. And more than two-thirds of
smartphone users under 18 (79 percent) said that texting is important or very important in maintaining
social relationships – up from 69 percent in 2015.
Many older smartphone users also said that texting is important for their social relationships: 71 percent of
smartphone users age 35-54, up from 67 percent in 2015; and 47 percent of smartphone users age 55 and
older, up from 40 percent in 2015.

How important is texting for helping you maintain social relationships?

(Mobile/smartphone users)

(Q218EA-1)

Since 2013, steadily growing percentages of smartphone users age 35-54 said that texting helps maintain
social relationships. For the last two years, smartphone users age 18-34 reported the largest numbers.

How important is texting for helping you maintain social relationships?

(Mobile/smartphone users – important and very important)

(Q218EA-2)
 81

83. The internet, social networking sites, and texting in maintaining social relationships (at-a-glance)
Comparing responses in the five most recent years of Digital Future studies shows substantial and growing
percentages of users who consider the internet, social networking sites, and texting important or very
important for maintaining social relationships.
Using the internet is important to a large and generally steady percentage of users for maintaining social
relationships – now 62 percent – while lower but growing percentages of users said social networking sites
are important for maintaining social relationships (49 percent in the current study).
For the fourth year in a row, a growing percentage of internet users said that texting is important or very
important – now 69 percent, up from 43 percent in 2012.

How important are these for helping you maintain social relationships?
(Internet users or mobile phone users – very important and important)

(Q218A/D/EU-1)
 82

84. Friends met online, then met in person

The average number of online friends met in person increased significantly from the number reported in
2015 – now an average of 6.0 friends met in person, an increase from 4.6 in 2014 and a new high for the
Digital Future studies.

Online friends met in person

(Internet users)

(Q320 U-1)

85. The internet’s effects on social contact

In most instances, much higher percentages of internet users said that going online has increased their
contact with family, friends, and key social groups, compared to those who said that contact decreased.
The largest percentages of increased contact were reported by users who said the internet somewhat or
greatly increased their contact with friends (53 percent) and family (48 percent).Other large percentages
were reported by users who said the internet increased their contact with people in their profession (41
percent), and people who share their hobbies (39 percent).
Ten percent or less of users in all categories said that the internet decreased their contact with family,
friends, and key social groups.

Does your use of the internet increase or decrease your contact with the following groups?
(Internet users)

(Q950 U-1)
 83

86. The internet’s effects on social contact: 2007-2016

Comparing the effects of internet use on social contact since 2007 shows upward trends in contact with all
groups across the board.

How does your use of the internet increase your contact with the following groups?
(Internet users – somewhat/greatly increased)

(Q950 U-2)

87. Are you ignored because of television or the internet?

Sixty-four percent of internet users said they are sometimes or often ignored because another member of
the household spends too much time online – up from 55 percent in 2015, and now the peak level in the
Digital Future studies.
The percentage of users who said they were ignored by a household member who spends too much time
watching television increased to 54 percent, up from 52 percent in 2014 and also a new high level for the
studies.

Do you feel that you are ignored because a household member spends too much time
watching television or using the internet?
(Internet users with multiple people in household – sometimes and often)

(Q1010 x Q1020 U-2)

 84

88. Are you ignored because of mobile devices?

For the fourth year in a row, a growing percentage of mobile phone users (64 percent) said they were
ignored because a household member spends too much time on a mobile device – either talking, texting, or
web browsing.

Do you feel that you are ignored because a household member spends too much time
on a mobile device (talking, texting, web browsing, etc.)?
(Mobile phone users with multiple people in household)

(Q1022 S-1)
 85

89. Time spent with clubs and volunteer organizations

Respondents in the current study said they spend an average of 1.8 hours per week participating in clubs or
voluntary organizations, essentially the same as in 2014 and 2015.

How many hours per week do you spend participating in clubs or voluntary organizations?
(All respondents)

(Q1200 R-1)

90. Time spent with clubs and volunteer organizations: users vs. non-users
Internet users in every Digital Future study since 2005 reported spending more time than non-users
participating in clubs or voluntary organizations. In the current study, users reported spending nearly an
hour more per week participating with clubs and volunteer organizations (1.9 hours per week for users
compared to 1.2 hours for non-users).

How many hours per week do you spend participating in clubs or voluntary organizations?
(All respondents)

(Q1200 R-2)
 86

Views about privacy while online

91. Views about privacy
The Digital Future Project asks respondents about several statements concerning privacy.
1. “I actively protect my privacy online.”
2. “I have nothing to hide.”
3. “I feel I can control my privacy online.”
4. “There is no privacy – get over it.”
5. “Concerns about privacy online are exaggerated.”
6. “I am concerned corporations are violating my privacy online.”
7. “I am concerned governments are violating my privacy online.”
8. “I am concerned other people are violating my privacy online.”
The survey found increased levels of agreement with all but two statements.
Looking at the first five statements, the largest percentage of users agreed or strongly agreed with the
statement, “I actively protect my privacy online,” reported by 71 percent of internet users, a slight decrease
from 2015. The second largest percentage of users agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “I have
nothing to hide” – a drop of three percentage points and the first time agreement has decreased.
Of particular importance – almost half of internet users now believe that privacy online does not exist: in
the current study, 49 percent of users agree or strongly agree that “There is no privacy – get over it” – a
view that has increased in every year this question has been asked.
Of respondents asked about concerns over who might violate their personal privacy (see lower chart), the
largest percentage (57 percent) was concerned about corporations, followed by governments (52 percent).
Views about privacy
(Internet users – agree & strongly agree)

(Q844 U-1 and U-2)

 87

92. Privacy of personal information and companies tracking online behavior

The vast majority of respondents age 16 and older – 89 percent – expressed some level of concern about
their privacy because companies can track their online behavior, marginally below the 90 percent reported
in 2015.
How concerned would you be about the privacy of your personal information
because of the ability of companies to track your online behavior?
(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q843 R-1)

93. Privacy of personal information and companies’ ability to protect

Compared to concerns about companies tracking online behavior, even larger percentages of respondents
said they are concerned about companies’ abilities to protect their personal information.
While 49 percent of respondents are very concerned or extremely concerned about company tracking their
online behavior (see the previous question), 66 percent of respondents are concerned that companies are
unable to protect personal information from hackers or data thieves.

How concerned are you or would you be about companies’ inability to protect
your personal information from hackers or anyone else who might steal it?
(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q843A R-1)
 88

Online bullying and harassment

94. Have you been bullied or harassed online?
When internet users were asked if they had ever been bullied or harassed online, 14 percent responded yes
– marginally less than in 2015 and the first decrease in the study.

Been bullied or harassed online

(Internet users)

(Q846 U-1)

95. Online bullying and harassment (men vs. women)

For the first time in the study, more men than women reported being bullied or harassed – 14 percent vs.
13percent.

Been bullied or harassed online

(Internet users – yes)

(Q846 G-1)
 89

96. Online bullying and harassment (by age)

Although larger percentages of online bullying and harassment are reported by young users, these problems
continued to be reported by users of all ages.
The largest percentages by far were reported by users under 18 (27 percent) and 18-34 (20 percent). But the
number of users in both groups decreased compared to 2015.

Been bullied or harassed online

(Internet users – yes)

(Q846 A-1)

97. Online bullying and harassment: impact

Of those who have been bullied or harassed, 64 percent reported that the impact was minor, up from the
58 percent in 2015.
Eleven percent said that the impact of the bullying was serious, down from 2015.

How severe was the impact of the bullying

(Internet users who have been bullied or harassed online)

(Q847 U-1)
 90

98. Online bullying and harassment: impact (men vs. women)

A near-equal percentage of women and men reported that the impact of the bullying was moderate or
serious: 36 percent of women compared to 35 percent of men.
Thirteen percent of men reported that the impact of the bullying was serious, more than the percentage of
women with the same response.

How severe was the impact of the bullying?

(Internet users who have been bullied or harassed online)

(Q847 G-1)

Looking at the severity of bullying shows a stronger growth trend of men who said the impact of the
bullying was moderate or serious.

How severe was the impact of the bullying?

(Internet users who have been bullied or harassed online – serious & moderate)

(Q847 G-2)
 91

99. Do you know someone who has been bullied or harassed online?
Although 14 percent of users said they have been bullied or harassed on the internet, more than twice the
percentage of all respondents said they know someone else subjected to bullying or harassment online–
now at 34 percent for the second year in a row.

Know someone who has been bullied or harassed online

(All respondents)

(Q848 R-1)
 92

100. Do you know someone who has been bullied or harassed online?(men vs. women)
Despite the fact that more men than women reported being bullied/harassed online, more women
reported that they know someone who has been bullied/harassed. More than one-third of women (36
percent) and almost one-third of men (31 percent) said they know someone who has been bullied or
harassed online.

Know someone who has been bullied or harassed online

(All respondents – yes)

(Q848 G-1)

101. Do you know someone who has been bullied or harassed online?(by age)
Knowledge of online bullying is related to age; more than half of respondents under 18 (58 percent) and 50
percent of those ages 18-34 said they know someone who has been bullied or harassed online, compared to
much lower percentages of respondents age 35 and older.

Know someone who has been bullied or harassed online

(All respondents – yes)

(Q848 A-1)
 93

102. Negative online experience

Significant and consistent percentages of users continued to report having negative online experiences,
such as computer viruses, attempts to gather personal or financial information, or theft of credit card
information.
Receiving computer viruses has dropped for the second year in a row. Receiving obscene and abusive
emails has grown marginally – 33 percent reported having this experience, up from 32 percent in 2015.
Receiving obscene/abusive emails or buying a misrepresented item online have increased every year these
questions have been asked.

In the past year have you ever…?

(Internet users)

(Q828 U-1)
 94

Unwanted sexual attention online

103. Have you received unwanted sexual attention online?
Unwanted sexual attention online continues to be a problem reported by a notable percentage of users in
the current Digital Future study – now 23 percent, the same as in 2015.

Received unwanted sexual attention online

(Internet users)

(Q849 U-1)

104. Unwanted sexual attention online (men vs. women)

Twenty-eight percent of women reported unwanted sexual attention – the same as in 2015 and two
percentage points higher than 2014.
Nineteen percent of men reported receiving unwanted sexual attention online, marginally higher than 2015
and now the highest point reported in the study.

Received unwanted sexual attention online

(Internet users – yes)

(Q849 G-13)
 95

105. Unwanted sexual attention online (by age)

Internet users of all ages experience unwanted sexual attention online, and users in three of the four age
ranges in the current study reported higher percentages of online sexual attention compared to previous
years.
The largest percentage of users reporting unwanted sexual attention was among users ages 18 to 34 (40
percent), marginal increase over the 39 percent reported in 2015. Sixteen percent of internet users under 18
reported unwanted sexual attention online – up from 15 percent in 2015.
Twenty percent of users age 35-54 reported unwanted sexual attention online, a slight decrease from 21
percent in 2015. Twelve percent of internet users age 55 and older reported unwanted sexual attention
online, an increase for the first time in three years, but still below the level reported in 2012.

Received unwanted sexual attention online

(Internet users – yes)

(Q849 A-1)
 96

106. Receiving negative attention online: at a glance by age

The current study compared responses by age to three questions about negative attention: reports of being
bullied or harassed online, knowledge of someone else being bullied or harassed online, and receiving
unwanted sexual attention online.
The findings show that online bullying is most prevalent for users under age 18, with 27 percent reporting
they have been bullied or harassed. Members of this age group are also most likely to know someone who
has been a victim of bullying or harassment (58 percent of users under age 18).
However, the problems are not limited to young users; for example, nine percent of users age 35-54 and 6
percent of those age 55 and older reported being the victim of harassment or bullying. Much larger
percentages of users age 35-54 (29 percent) and those age 55 and older (16 percent) said they knew
someone who has been bullied or harassed, while 20 percent of users age 35-54 and 12 percent of users age
55 and older said they have received unwanted sexual attention online.
Receiving unwanted sexual attention online is most prevalent for users age 18-34, with 40 percent
reporting having received such undesirable attention.

Negative attention online

(Internet users – yes)

(Q846, 848, 849 combined U-1)

 97

Social networking and video sharing sites

107. Why do users visit websites for video sharing and social networking?
Users who visit social networking or video sharing sites reported a variety of reasons for using these sites,
and the most frequently-cited continues to be relaxation or to fill time – now 66 percent, up from 64
percent in 2015.
Other common responses include being involved in conversation or social interaction (63 percent), or to
find events and information (52 percent).
All reasons for visiting video sharing and social networking websites saw an increase in percentages in the
current study; the largest increase was the 36 percent who reported visiting these sites to gain insight into
the circumstances of others, a six percentage point increase over 2015.

Reasons for visiting video sharing and social networking websites

such as YouTube and Facebook
(Internet users who visit social networking sites)

(Q1209I U-1a-b) (Multiple responses possible)

 98

108. Regular personal contact through Facebook, Twitter, or Google Plus

Internet users in the current Digital Future study reported a higher average number of people with whom
they maintain regular personal contact at least weekly through personal messages on sites such as
Facebook, Twitter, or Google Plus – now an average of 6.7 people, up from 6.0 in 2015.

How many people do you maintain regular personal contact with on a weekly basis through individual messages
(not posting on your entire network) on Facebook, Twitter, or Google Plus?
(Internet users)

(Q290B U-1)

109. Maintaining contact with messages on social networking sites (men vs. women)
For only the second time in the Digital Future studies, women reported maintaining more weekly contacts
than men through individual messages on social networking sites such as Facebook – an average of 7.0
people on a weekly basis, compared to 6.3 people reported by men.

How many people do you maintain regular personal contact with on a weekly basis through individual messages
(not posting on your entire network) on Facebook, Twitter, or Google Plus?
(Internet users)

(Q290B U-2)
 99

110. Importance of social networking websites for maintaining relationships

Not quite half of internet users -- 49 percent -- in the current study said that social networking sites are
important or very important to maintain social relationships, an increase from 48 percent in 2015, and a
new high for the Digital Future studies.
Correspondingly, the number of users who feel social networking sites are not important has dropped
every year – now 31 percent of users down from 34 percent in 2015.

How important are social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus)
for helping you maintain social relationships?
(Internet users)

(Q218DU-1)
 100

111. Importance of social networking sites for maintaining relationships (by age)
Compared to internet users overall, large percentages of young users consider social networking to be
important for maintaining their social relationships.
More than half of users age 54 and under said that social networking sites are important or very important
for maintaining social relationships, with the highest number reported by users 18-34 (57 percent).
Perhaps more revealing are the numbers of internet users who think social networking sites are not
important for maintaining social relationships; less than one-third of users 54 and under said social
networking sites are not important for helping maintain their social relationships. On the other hand,
nearly half of users 55 and older reported that social networking sites are not important to maintaining
social relationships.

How important are social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus)
for helping you maintain social relationships?
(Internet users)

(Q218DA-1)
 101

112. Social networking websites and concerns about privacy

Almost all respondents – 94 percent – expressed some concern about the privacy of their personal
information on social networking sites.
However, the percentage reporting the highest levels of concern declined slightly – now 61 percent, down
slightly from 63 percent in 2015.

How concerned would you be about the privacy of your personal information
on social networking sites?
(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q841A R-1)
 102

113. Concerns about the privacy of personal information on social networking sites: men vs. women
Large percentages of male and female respondents alike reported high levels of concern about the privacy
of their personal information on social networking sites.
Men reported marginally higher percentages of the highest levels of concern compared to women – 62
percent of men compared to 61 percent of women said they were very concerned or extremely concerned
about the privacy of their personal information on social networking sites.

How concerned would you be about the privacy of your personal information on social networking sites?
(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q841A G-1)

How concerned would you be about the privacy of your personal information on social networking sites? – very or
extremely concerned
(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q841A G-1)
 103

114. Concerns about the privacy of personal information on social networking sites
Almost all respondents – 95 percent – are concerned about the privacy of their personal information on
social networking sites. Of these, 61 percent reported the highest levels of concern.

How concerned would you be about the privacy of your personal information on social networking sites?
(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q841A U-1)
 104

115. Altering a Facebook profile to avoid embarrassment

A generally stable percentage of internet users who have an online profile on a social networking site such
as Facebook have said they altered their profile because of concern over potential embarrassment.
In the current study, 27 percent of respondents who use social networking sites said they have altered their
online profile to avoid embarrassment, down from the peak of 34 percent reported in 2013 but up slightly
from the 24 percent reported in 2015.

Have you ever altered your Facebook/social network profile

because of concern over potential embarrassment?
(Internet users who use social networking sites - yes)

(Q841B U-1)

Among those who said that they had altered their social network profile to avoid embarrassment, the
survey asked which categories of people were the source of their concern. While embarrassment among
friends is still the principal reason users changed their social networking profiles (with 40 percent citing this
group), a growing number are concerned with embarrassment among family members– now 29 percent of
internet users who have altered their profile, up from 23 percent in 2015.

Why did you alter it?

(Internet users who have altered social network profile because of concern over potential embarrassment)

(Q841C U-1)
 105

Online dating
116. Online dating sites
Most internet users have never been on an online dating site such as Match.com or eHarmony – 79 percent
in the current study, the same as 2015.
Fifteen percent of internet users have casually dated one or more people through an online dating site, or
entered a relationship, became engaged, or married through such a site.
However, some said they did not find anyone to go out with on a dating site – six percent in the current
study and generally consistent with previous responses.

If you have ever used online dating sites like Match.com or eHarmony to meet someone,
how did you find the experience?
(Internet users age 18 and older)

(Q960 U-1)
 106

117. Online dating sites: reaction to the experience

Looking specifically at internet users who have used online dating sites shows that 30 percent who used the
site did not find anyone to go out with, down from 33 percent in 2015.
While the number of those casually dating through online sites has fluctuated from year to year, the
percentages reported for those entering relationships has increased every year – from seven percent in 2013
to 25 percent in 2016. Conversely, the rate of those getting engaged or married has dropped every year –
from 20 percent in 2013 to 13 percent in the current study.

If you have ever used online dating sites like Match.com or eHarmony to meet someone,
how did you find the experience?
(Internet users age 18 and older who have used online dating sites)

(Q960 U-2)
 107

Online connection to companies:

Twitter, Facebook, and group coupons
118. Companies followed on Twitter
Looking at the behavior of all internet users shows that they follow only a small number of companies on
Twitter – an average of 2.6 in the current Digital Future study, up from 1.9 companies in 2015.

How many companies or brands have you followed on Twitter?

(Internet users)

(Q820 U-1)

However, among internet users who follow companies or brands on Twitter, their interests are growing.
Users who follow companies or brands on Twitter reported that they follow an average of 13.1 companies,
up from 8.5 in 2015 and the highest average number thus far in the Digital Future studies.

How many companies or brands have you followed on Twitter?

(Internet users who have followed companies/brands on Twitter)

(Q820 U-2)
 108

119. Companies friended on Facebook

Compared to the number of companies followed on Twitter (see the previous question), internet users
reported a moderately lower number of companies or brands they friend on social networking sites such as
Facebook: users reported friending an average of 9.9 companies or brands on social networking sites as
compared to 13.1 followed on Twitter in the previous question.

How many companies or brands have you friended on social networking sites such as Facebook?
(Internet users)

(Q821 U-1)

How many companies or brands have you friended on social networking sites such as Facebook?
(Internet users who have friended companies/brands on social networking sites)

(Q821 U-2)
 109

120. Following companies or brands on Facebook or Twitter: reasons why

Why do internet users follow or friend companies or brands on Twitter or Facebook? For the third year in
a row, the reason reported by the largest percentage of users is the opportunity to obtain deals or discounts
– now 67 percent, matching the peak in 2013.
Other large percentages of users who friend companies or brands on social networking sites reported
obtaining product or service information (64 percent, the highest so far in the study), showing brand
loyalty (now 36 percent for the third year), and showing others what they like (again 25 percent).

What would you say are the main reasons you have friended companies or brands on Twitter or Facebook?
(Internet users who friend companies/brands on social networking sites)

(Q822 U-1a)

(Q822 U-1b)
 110

Children and the internet

Adults who said the children in their
households spend too much time. . .
. . .online 41%
. . .watching television 37%

Children who said that

going online is very important
or extremely important
to their schoolwork 84%

Adults who said that using the

internet has had a positive
impact on the grades of
the children in their households 49%

Adults who deny internet use

as a punishment tool 52%
 111

Children and the internet

121. Internet use: the right amount of time for children?
A majority of adults in all of the Digital Future studies have said that the amount of time the children in
their households spend online is just right. The percentage increased for the first time in six years, up
slightly from 2015.
The percentage of adults who said the children in their household spend too much time online decreased
slightly to 41 percent.

Children online - the right amount of time?

(Respondents age 18 and older with children in the household)

(Q1120 R-3)
 112

122. Television viewing: the right amount of time for children?

Fifty-nine percent of adults said that the amount of time children in their households watch television is
just right, up marginally from 58 percent in 2014.
The percentage of adults who said the children in their households spend too much time watching
television decreased to 37 percent – down from 39 percent in 2015.

Children watching television - the right amount of time?

(Respondents age 18 and older with children in the household)

(Q1120 R-2)

123. Video games: the right amount of time for children?

Fifty-two percent of adults said that the amount of time children in their households spend playing video
games is just right, down from 57 percent in 2015 and a tie with 2013 for the lowest level in the Digital
Future studies.
The percentage of adults who said the children in their households spend too much time gaming increased
to 41 percent – up from 36 percent in 2015 and slightly more than the responses for watching television.

Children playing video games - the right amount of time?

(Respondents age 18 and older with children in the household)

(Q1120 R-4)
 113

124. The internet and schoolwork: children’s views

As in all of the previous Digital Future studies, children and adults continued to report widely different
views about the value of the internet for schoolwork (also see page 114).
In the current study, 84 percent of internet users age 18 and younger said that going online was very
important or extremely important for their schoolwork, down slightly from 86 percent in 2015.
The percentage of internet users age 18 and younger who said the internet is not at all important for
schoolwork, after generally ranging between one and four percent for all of the studies, dropped again to
zero.

How important is the internet for your schoolwork?

(Internet users age 18 and under)

(Q1135 U-1)

Additionally, the current study found that internet users who are students continue to report increased time
going online at school outside the home– now 7.9 hours, up from 6.9 hours in 2015 and nearly four hours
higher than in 2010.

Internet access at school, outside the home, hours per week

(Internet users who are students)

(Q410 U-1) (Note: Not all respondents in this data are children)
 114

125. Internet use and school grades: the adults’ view

While very large percentages of children said that the internet is important or very important for their
studies (see page 113), adults continued to report much different views about the effect of the internet on
grades.
Forty-nine percent of adults said the internet has had a positive impact on the grades of the children in
their households. Twenty-eight percent of adults reported that the internet has had a negative effect on
grades.

Do you think that the internet has improved, hurt, or not affected
the grades of the children in your household?
(Respondents age 18 and older with children in the household)

(Q1078 R-1)
 115

126. Internet use and television viewing: use as a punishment tool

In the current study, about the same percentages of household use television (49 percent) or internet (52
percent) as a punishment tool and both show increases over 2015.

Internet access and television viewing - use as a punishment tool

(Respondents age 18 and older with children in the household)

(Q1070 and Q1100 R-1)

 116

Children, parents, and social networking

127. Do adults monitor children’s behavior on social networking sites?
The percentage of adults who said they monitor the activity of the children in their households when on
social networking sites such as Facebook increased in the current study – now 65 percent, up slightly from
the 63 percent reported in 2015 but below the peak of 70 percent in 2012.

Do you monitor what your children do on social networking sites such as Facebook?
(Respondents age 18 and older with children in the household)

(Q1105 R-1)
 117

128. Do adults monitor their children’s behavior on social networking sites? (reasons why not)
Why do adults not monitor the social networking activity of the children in their households? Forty-seven
percent cite trust as the explanation: either they trust their children or they believe that monitoring online
behavior would show lack of trust – up from the 38 percent reported in 2015.

Why do you not monitor what your children do on social networking sites such as Facebook?
(Respondents age 18 and older with children in the household who do not monitor
what the children do on social networking sites)

(Q1106 R-1)
 118

129. Do you have your children’s passwords for social networking sites?
Even though 65 percent of adults said they monitor the activity of the children in their households while
on Facebook or social networking sites (see page 116), a smaller number – 53 percent – said they have
password access to the children’s accounts, the same as last year.

Do you have password access to one or more of your children’s accounts

on social networking sites, such as Facebook?
(Respondents age 18 and older with children in the household)

(Q1104 R-1)

130. Instantaneous online communication impact on the quality of children’s lives?

In 2016 half of adults reported that social networking or instantaneous communication has had no impact
on their children’s lives. As in 2015, more adults (30 percent) reported that the impact has been negative
while a smaller number (20 percent) reported a positive impact.

Has social networking or other instantaneous online communication

improved or diminished the quality of your children’s lives?
(Respondents age 18 and older with children in the household)

(Q1085 R-1)
 119

131. Mobile phones and Facebook: what age is appropriate for children?
At what age should children be allowed to have their own mobile phone or Facebook account? In the last
four years, respondents’ views have remained essentially the same: age 13 for a mobile phone, and age 15
for a Facebook account.

At what age is it appropriate for a child to have a mobile phone or a Facebook account?
(All respondents)

(Q1136 R-1)
 120

Political power and influence

Users who said. . .

. . . the internet has become important

for political campaigns 83%

. . . by using the internet public officials

will care more about what people
like them think 42%

. . . the internet helps people

to better understand politics 71%

. . . the internet can give people

more say in what government does 41%

. . . by using the internet people like you

can have more political power 44%
 121

The internet and the political process

132. The internet’s importance in political campaigns
The percentage of respondents age 16 and older in the study who agree that the internet has become
important for political campaigns continues to increase in the current Digital Future study.
Eighty-one percent of respondents age 16 and older agree or strongly agree that the internet has become
important for political campaigns, up from the 79 percent reported in 2015 and a new high for the studies.
The percentage of those who do not think that the internet is important in political campaigns increased
marginally to seven percent of respondents, up from six percent in 2015.

The internet has become important for the political campaign process
(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q190E R-1)

For more on the questions on the next 12 pages involving the internet and the political process, see the
Trends section on page 143.
 122

133. The internet’s importance in political campaigns (users)

The percentage of users who believe that the internet is important for the political campaign process
remains at its peak level thus far in the Digital Future studies.
Eighty-three percent of users agree or strongly agree that the internet has become important for political
campaigns, up from 80 percent in 2015 and a new high.
The percentage of internet users who do not think the internet is important in political campaigns remains
at six percent.

The internet has become important for the political campaign process
(Internet users age 16 and older)

(Q190E U-1)

134. The internet’s importance in political campaigns (non-users)

A majority of non-users also agree that the internet is important in political campaigns, however that
percentage has declined.
Fifty-five percent of non-users in the current study said that the internet is important in political
campaigns, down from 61 percent in 2015. However, 20 percent do not think the internet is important in
political campaigns, up from 17 percent in 2015.

The internet has become important for the political campaign process
(Internet non-users)

(Q190E N-1)
 123

135. Is the internet a tool for political influence?

How do respondents feel about the ability of online technology to create influence with public officials?
In the current study, 41 percent of respondents believe that by using the internet, public officials will care
more about what people like them think, an increase from 40 percent in 2015.
The percentage that disagrees or strongly disagrees with the statement was down for the seventh straight
year – now 33 percent, down only one percentage point from the previous study but the lowest thus far in
the studies.

By using the internet, public officials will care more about what people like them think
(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q190D R-1)
 124

136. The internet as a tool for political influence (users)

Among internet users age 16 and older, 42 percent agree or strongly agree that the internet can make public
officials care more about what people like them think – the highest level for the study.
The number of internet users who disagree or strongly disagree has been steadily dropping since 2009 –
now 32 percent and a new low for the study.

By using the internet, public officials will care more about what people like them think
(Internet users age 16 and older)

(Q190D U-1)

137. The internet as a tool for political influence (non-users)

Compared to internet users (see above), a smaller percentage of non-users (34 percent) agree that using the
internet can make public officials care more about what people like them think, a decline from 37 percent
in the previous study.
The number of non-users who disagree or strongly disagree with the statement jumped substantially this
year to 44 percent, up from 35 percent in 2015.

By using the internet, public officials will care more about what people like them think
(Internet non-users age 16 and older)

(Q190D N-1)
 125

138. The internet: a tool for better understanding politics

The percentage of respondents agreeing that the internet can help people better understand politics
continues its general upward trend in the current study, and has now reached 69 percent of respondents
age 16 and older, an increase from 67 percent in 2015 and a new high level for the Digital Future project.
The percentage who disagree or strongly disagree that using the internet allows people to better understand
politics dropped to 13 percent, very marginally below the 14 percent in 2015.

Using the internet allows people to better understand politics

(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q190C R-1)
 126

139. The internet: a tool for better understanding politics (users)

Seventy-one percent of users agree or strongly agree that going online can help people better understand
politics, up from 69percent in 2015 and the highest level to date. Similarly, users disagreeing or strongly
disagreeing fell to 11 percent, equaling the lowest number in the study.

By using the internet, people like you can better understand politics
(Internet users age 16 and older)

(Q190C U-1)
 127

140. The internet: a tool for better understanding politics (non-users)

In the current study, views among non-users are polarized. Forty-four percent of internet non-users in the
current study agreed or strongly agreed that going online can help people better understand politics – the
same as in 2015.
The number of non-users who believe that the internet does not help others to better understand politics
jumped substantially to 43 percent, an increase of 20 percentage points from 2015.

By using the internet, people like you can better understand politics
(Internet non-users age 16 and older)

(Q190C N-1)
 128

141. Does the internet give people more say in what the government does?
Forty-two percent of respondents agree or strongly agree that the internet can give people more of a say in
what the government does – up marginally from 41 percent in 2015.
At the other extreme, 34 percent of respondents disagree or strongly disagree that the internet gives people
more say in what the government does, the same percentage as in 2015 and 2014.

By using the internet, people like you can have more say in what the government does
(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q190B R-1)
 129

142. Does the internet give people more say in what the government does?(users)
Forty-one percent of users age 16 and older agree or strongly agree that using the internet can give people
more say in what the government does, the same as in 2015.
The percentage of users who disagree with this statement increased to 34 percent, up marginally from 33
percent in the previous study.

By using the internet, people like you can have more say in what the government does
(Internet users age 16 and older)

(Q190B U-1)

143. Does the internet give people more say in what the government does? (Internet non-users)
Forty-four percent of non-users age 16 and older agree or strongly agree that using the internet can give
people more say in what the government does, up significantly from the 35 percent reported in 2015 and
the highest level reported in the studies.
The number disagreeing or strongly disagreeing (37 percent) remains at one of the lowest levels in the
study and marginally above the 36 percent reported in 2015.

By using the internet, people like you can have more say in what the government does
(Internet non-users age 16 and older)

(Q190B N-1)
 130

144. The internet as a tool to help gain political power

Attitudes about the internet as a tool to gain political power remain steady in the current study compared
to 2015 and vary only slightly from 2014.
Forty-four percent of respondents agree or strongly agree that people like them can use the internet to gain
more political power – the same as reported in 2015 and up just two percentage points from 2014.
Similarly, 31 percent of respondents disagree or strongly disagree with this statement, matching the figure
in 2015, down one percentage point from 2013 and 2014, and equal to the previous low reported in 2005.

By using the internet, people like you can have more political power
(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q190A R-1)
 131

145. The internet as a tool to help gain political power (users)

Forty-four percent of users agree or strongly agree that by using the internet, people like them can have
more political power, down from 45 percent in 2015.

By using the internet, people like you can have more political power
(Internet users age 16 and older)

(Q190A U-1)

146. The internet as a tool to help gain political power (non-users)

Thirty-eight percent of non-users agree or strongly agree that by using the internet, people like them can
have more political power – matching the highest level reported in the studies.
The number of non-users who disagree or strongly disagree declined for the third year in a row, dropping
significantly to 37 percent.

By using the internet, people like you can have more political power
(Internet non-users age 16 and older)

(Q190A N-1)
 132

147. At a glance: views about the internet and politics during Presidential campaign years
During Presidential campaign years, the country’s focus on politics is at its highest level. Looking at
findings from the last three Presidential election years shows dramatic growth in agreement about the
importance of the internet in politics – whether for building political power, creating more involvement in
what the government does, better understanding of politics, encouraging public officials to care more
about what people think, or serving an important role in political campaigns.

Views about the internet and politics

(Respondents– agree or strongly agree)

(Q190A-E R-1)
 133

148. At a glance: views about the internet and politics: internet users vs. non-users
While growing percentages of internet users agree or strongly agree about the importance of the internet in
politics, significantly smaller percentages of non-users agree with these views.
Notably, in the current study increasing percentages of non-users agree or strongly agree that the internet
can give people like them more political power, create more say about what government does, and create
better understanding of politics.
However, declining percentages of non-users agree or strongly agree that the internet can make public
officials care more about what people think, or that the internet is important for politician campaigns.

Views about the internet and politics

(Internet users –agree or strongly agree)

(Q190A-E U-1)

Views about the internet and politics

(Internet non-users – agree or strongly agree)

(Q190A-E N-1)
 134

The internet and free speech about politics & government

149. Personal political expression on the internet: is it safe to say whatever you think while online?
The number of respondents age 16 and older who believe that it is safe to voice their views about politics
while online has remained largely unchanged in the current Digital Future study.
Thirty-seven percent agreed it is safe to voice their views about politics while online – down marginally
from 38 percent in 2015.
Similarly, the percentage of respondents who disagree or strongly disagree with this statement increased
three percentage points– now 44 percent, up from 41 percent in 2015 and the highest number to date.

On the internet, it is safe to say whatever you think about politics

(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q195B R-1)
 135

150. On the internet, it is safe to say whatever you think about politics (users)
As with overall responses to this question, the percentage of internet users age 16 and older who said it is
safe to say online whatever they think about politics has remained generally stable – now 38 percent, the
same as in 2015.
The percentage of those who disagree with this statement had increased to 43 percent; with the exception
of the 40 percent in 2015, this number has increased steadily since 2010.

On the internet, it is safe to say whatever you think about politics

(Internet users age 16 and older)

(Q195B U-1)

151. On the internet, it is safe to say whatever you think about politics (by political views)
Generally consistent percentages of respondents of all political views said that on the internet it is safe to
say whatever you think about politics; perhaps surprisingly, a slightly higher percentage of conservatives (47
percent) compared to liberals (44 percent) agree about the safety of free expression while online.

On the internet, it is safe to say whatever you think about politics

(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q195B P-1)
 136

152. I feel comfortable saying whatever I think about politics

A majority of respondents said that they feel comfortable saying whatever they think about politics– now
52 percent, down from 55 percent in 2015.
Those who do not feel comfortable increased significantly to 32 percent, up from 23 percent in 2015.

In general, I feel comfortable saying whatever I think about politics

(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q195A R-1)

153. I feel comfortable saying whatever I think about politics (users)

A majority of internet users age 16 and older are comfortable speaking out about politics.
Fifty-one percent of internet users age 16 and older agree or strongly agree that they feel comfortable
saying whatever they think about politics, down from 55 percent in 2015 and matching the former low
point recorded in 2012.
The percentage of users who do not feel comfortable saying whatever they think about politics increased to
32 percent, up significantly from 22 percent in 2015 and from the previous high of 23 percent in 2013.

In general, I feel comfortable saying whatever I think about politics.

(Internet users age 16 and older)

(Q195A U-1)
 137

154. Criticizing the government while online

Even though 38 percent of respondents age 16 and older believe it is safe to express their political beliefs
on the internet (see page 135), a much larger percentage believes that people should be free to criticize
their government while online.
Seventy-three percent of respondents agree or strongly agree that people should be free to criticize the
government while online, an increase from 71 percent in 2015.
The percentage of respondents who do not think people should be free to criticize the government
increased marginally in the current study – now 13 percent of respondents, up from 12 percent in 2015.

People should be free on the internet to criticize their government

(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q195C R-1)
 138

155. Criticizing the government while online (users by political views)

Among users, large percentages of liberals and conservatives alike consistently agree or strongly agree that
people should be free on the internet to criticize the government, with a substantially larger percentage of
liberals agreeing with this statement (87 percent compared to 67 percent of conservatives in the current
study).

People should be free on the internet to criticize the government

(Users age 16 and older)

(Q195C U-3)

156. Criticizing the government while online (respondents by political views)

Compared to those who said it is safe to say whatever they think while online (see page 135), even higher
percentages of respondents of all political perspectives agree that people should be free on the internet to
criticize their government.
However, a much smaller percentage of conservatives (67 percent) and moderates (69 percent) compared
to liberals (86 percent) agree with this statement.

People should be free on the internet to criticize their government – somewhat/strongly agree
(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q195C P-1)
 139

157. Free speech and extreme ideas while online

Compared to the responses about using the internet as a platform to criticize the government (see the
previous question), a lower percentage of respondents age 16 and older (57 percent) said it is OK for
people to expressed their ideas online, even if they are extreme.
The percentage of respondents age 16 and older who disagree or strongly disagree that expressing extreme
ideas online is OK increased to 27 percent in the current study, up from 26 percent in 2015.

It is OK for people to express their ideas on the internet, even if they are extreme
(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q195D R-1)

158. Free speech and extreme ideas while online (users)

Fifty-seven percent of users age 16 and older overall agree or strongly agree that it is OK for people to
expressed their extreme ideas on the internet – up from 56 percent in 2015.
The percentage of users who disagree with free expression of extreme ideas on the internet remained stable
at 26 percent.

It is OK for people to express their ideas on the internet, even if they are extreme
(Internet users age 16 and older)

(Q195D U-1)
 140

159. Free speech and extreme ideas while online (by political views)
A smaller percentage of conservatives (57 percent) compared to liberals (66percent) said that expressing
ideas online is OK – even if the ideas are extreme – a finding generally consistent in the six years this
question has been asked.

It is OK for people to express their ideas on the internet, even if they are extreme – somewhat/strongly agree
(Respondents age 16 and older)

(Q195D P-1)
 141

160. Political views: users vs. non-users

A significantly higher percentage of internet users (36percent) compared to non-users (15 percent) identify
themselves politically as somewhat liberal or very liberal.
Conversely, higher percentages of non-users identify themselves as somewhat conservative or very
conservative: 48percent of non-users compared to 36percent of users.

Political views
(Respondents age 17 and older)

(Q1230 R-1)
 142

161. Political views: users since 2000

Comparing political views of internet users since 2001 had shown a modest general increase in the
percentage reporting in the Digital Future studies that they are liberal. However in the current study, the
percentages reporting they are somewhat or very liberal declined to 36 percent, down slightly from 39
percent in 2015.
The percentage reporting that they were conservative had declined for four years in a row. However in the
current study, the percentage that reported they are conservative increased for the first time since 2010 –
now 35 percent.

Political views
(Internet users age 17 and older)

(Q1230 U-1)
 143

The 2017 Digital Future Project

Trends and Issues

As the Center for the Digital Future completes its 15th study of the impact of the digital technology on the
American scene, some of the issues that have emerged in the current study are particularly thought-
provoking. Among them:

Hours online: increases seem never-ending

All of the Center’s 15 studies of American online behavior have found large numbers of hours devoted to
using the internet. What seems especially noteworthy is that even after more than 20 years of open access
to the internet, the amount of time spent online continues to increase.
The findings about the amount of online use suggest both benefits and consequences. Consider that:

 In the current study, the average number of hours that users go online has reached a new high –
now 23.6 hours per week (page six) – almost an entire day per week and more than double the 9.4
hours reported in 2000 (a time when regular internet use was already the norm).
The total number of hours spent online per week at home has grown or remained steady from
year to year in every study since 2000. That average number has now reached 17.6 hours per week,
an extraordinary jump from 3.3 hours in 2000 (page seven).
More than ever, the new high figure found in these studies for weekly hours online raises many
social and cultural questions about the impact of shifting time use and its effects on relationships
with family and friends.

 Sixty-five percent of internet users who are students go online for school-related work – more
than double the percentage reported 10 years ago (page 11). Such a large percentage of internet-
using students suggests another question: with such a powerful tool for research and information-
gathering at their fingertips, what are internet users who do not go online for their studies now
missing in their educational experience?

 The number of hours that employed internet users are online at work has increased in every
Digital Future study since 2003, and has now reached 14.3 hours per week on average (page 16).
Perhaps more important, users in the four most recent studies reported that they are actively
online for work more than 10 hours a week on average. With online time now exceeding one-
quarter of the average work week, a continuing issue for exploration is how that online access is
affecting all aspects of the American workplace.
 144

How online access is changing

The first stated mission of the Digital Future Project was to monitor the use of digital technology as it
transforms in unexpected ways. One of the primary examples of this transformation is how users access the
internet.
Who would have anticipated more than a decade ago, when smartphones came into common use, that
mobile devices would become not just a tool for internet access, but also the most common devices used
for daily connection to the internet? Now, 82 percent of users go online through a mobile phone at least
once a day – more than those who use personal computers, tablets, or eReaders (page 20).
How will changes in devices and access methods shape the information that Americans seek and use
online? Will the “traditional” computer become a secondary tool and dwindle in importance for many
Americans?

The negative view of the internet’s impact

The current Digital Future Study found that internet access continues to increase (page six), users find
online technology important for their relationships (page 78), and the highest percentage of respondents
thus far reported making online purchases (page 55). Nevertheless, large percentages of respondents still
report negative views about the role of communication technology in the world.
Perhaps not surprisingly, among the small but still-notable group of internet non-users, the largest
percentage thus far in the studies said that communication technology makes the world a worse place (now
43 percent). However, among those who go online, the percentage who said that communication
technology has made the world a better place has been in a general decline since 2006, reached its lowest
level yet reported in 2015 (51 percent), and rose only marginally in the current study to 52 percent.
In a time when little more than half of Americans believe that communication technology makes the world
a better place, how does that view affect the credibility and relevance of the internet?

Buying online: mobile phones become an important weapon for shoppers

It is no surprise that buying online continues to grow. Seventy-two percent of internet users who buy
online said that their internet purchasing reduces their retail purchasing somewhat or a lot, up significantly
from 62 percent in 2015 (page 67). But particularly important is the ongoing growth of mobile devices as a
tool to conduct on-the-spot price comparison with prices found online.
In the current study, three-quarters of online purchasers who browse locally but buy online said they have
compared prices on a mobile device while in a store to see if there is a better deal available on the internet
– increasing from less than half (49 percent) just five years ago (page 69).
And if traditional brick-and-mortar retailers did not have enough to worry about from online sellers, they
should be more concerned than ever about competitors nearby. Sixty-four percent of users said they have
used a mobile device while in a store to determine if a better deal was available at another store nearby – up
from 55 percent in 2015 and more than twice the number reported when this question was first asked in
2012 (page 69).
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Reliability of information online: still a downward trend

One explanation for the declining percentage of respondents who believe communications technology in
making the world a better place is the relatively small number of internet users who believe that
information online is reliable; 37 percent now believe that most of all information online is reliable, the
lowest number reported thus far in the Digital Future studies (page 29). More dismal is the new high
percentage of users who said that only a small portion or none of online information is reliable – now 17
percent.
Even frequently-visited websites are not perceived as well as they once were; 66 percent of users in the
current study said that most or all of the information on sites they use often is reliable and accurate –
another new low for the Digital Future studies (page 31).
Clearly, the main culprit that affects this view is information posted on social media websites: most or all of
the information is considered reliable and accurate on established media websites by 63 percent of
respondents and 74 percent for government websites, but only 11 percent on social media sites. The low
level of trust in social media sites makes it hard to miss the point that although most users report that
social media sites are important (page 32), they trust these sites the least.
But even the relatively high level of trust reported for information posted by established media raises
questions about users’ perceptions of those sites. Almost two-thirds of users may have said that most or all
of the information posted online by established media – such as The New York Times or the Washington Post–
is reliable and accurate, but at the same time 12 percent said that only a small portion or none of the
information on these sites was accurate. In previous generations when print media reigned as the primary
sources of trustworthy information, would newspapers have been able to maintain their public trust if
measureable percentages of their readers believed that most of what they published was false?

Why are some Americans still not online?

The Digital Future studies have explored the views of internet non-users since the first study was
conducted in 2000. The reasons why some Americans are not online – now less than 10 percent – have
varied somewhat in 15 studies, but in 2017 those reasons are worth revisiting (page 27).
Of particular note is the point that the expense of having a computer or going online is not a primary
reason why non-users are not online; in the current study, only nine percent of non-users cite expense or
costs as their reason for not being online – a response that has been 10 percent or less since 2013.
If expense is not the issue, then what is? In sum, the reasons are best summarized as a lack of will: either
no computer, lack of understanding of the technology, or no interest – percentages that all increased in the
current study. And more than 60 percent of internet non-users said they are not likely to go online in the
next year (see page 27).
Previous editions of this report have noted the increase of persistent non-users, and the consequences of
not going online. Even though open access to the internet has been part of American culture for more
than 20 years, the near-mandatory need to connect with government, companies, and individuals continues
to grow almost daily. It is, of course, a matter of individual choice for Americans to go online, but at what
cost? To choose to not be online for, say, a Facebook account may be trivial, but what price does a non-
user pay by not having access to personal medical records or other important information that is
increasingly available only online? For example, the forms required for an application to receive Social
Security are now available only online, and not by mail; the only alternative for a non-user is an in-person
visit to a Social Security office.
 146

If internet access is assumed to be near-universal, what is the social and financial cost of non-use for the
rest of society? The modest percentage of Americans who self-report that they are non-users may seem like
a small number, but it nevertheless represents more than 30 million people who are part of a permanent
underclass that is increasingly missing out on social and financial benefits of being online, while potentially
creating additional social burdens for others.

The internet and politics

In the wake of the most contentious and controversial national presidential campaign in memory, it is
especially noteworthy to explore the many ways that the internet affects politics.
The current study found that the internet is more relevant than ever in the American political process:
compared to responses gathered during the 2008 presidential election season, in the current study much
larger percentages of respondents said that the internet gives them more political power (page 130), creates
more say about what the government does (page 128), helps people better understand politics (page 125),
encourages public officials to care more about what people think (page 123), and – most significant of all –
serves an important role in political campaigns (page 121).
The Center for the Digital Future has explored the impact of digital technology on politics from the earliest
days of this project. For many years, the consensus among respondents was that the internet could
enlighten people about politics, but online technology served a much more limited role in creating political
power and involvement. For several years, those views have been shifting; the internet is now considered
an integral part of all aspects of American politics by 40 percent or more of all respondents – users and
non-users alike.
There can be no question that digital technology will play an increasingly important role in creating political
change and influence in American politics; how that role evolves will continue to be an ongoing priority for
the Digital Future Study.

* * * * * * * *
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Supplement 1

Center for the Digital Future at USC Annenberg

The Center for the Digital Future at USC Annenberg is a forum for the discussion and development of
policy alternatives addressing the leading issues in media and communication.
The Center conducts and facilitates research, courses, seminars, working groups, and conferences designed
to have a major impact on policy at the local, national, and international levels. It also provides a base for
visiting scholars who are engaged in efforts to examine and shape communication policy. The Center’s
goals include using the vast intellectual resources of USC to deal with some of the most important
concerns of the day and to have a transforming effect on the issues.
The Center is based in the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of
Southern California. Until July 2004, it was housed at UCLA in the Anderson Graduate School of
Management.
In October 2000, the Center released its first report on the internet, the beginning of an international, long-
term exploration of the impact of the internet on society. This work is part of the World Internet Project,
which is organized and coordinated by the Center; included in the World Internet Project are the Center’s
work and partner studies in countries in North America, Europe, South America, Asia, the Middle East,
Australasia, and Africa. The first comparative results from the World Internet Project were released in
January 2004. The first comprehensive International Report of the World Internet Project was released at
the end of 2008, and the sixth in 2015.
Since the Center’s creation in September 1993, it has been awarded multi-million-dollar research grants
from the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Defense, held numerous national and
local conferences, conducted three nationwide surveys with one of America’s leading news magazines, and
established a strong national and international identity in media and communication technology issues.
The Center for the Digital Future has become an internationally regarded policy studies center. The Center
is committed to studying, through a variety of prisms, the important communication issues that transform
our lives.
For more information about the Center, visit www.digitalcenter.org.
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Supplement 2

The World Internet Project – International Contacts

United States Center for the Digital Future

(Organizer) USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
www.digitalcenter.org

Africa Contact: Indra de Lanerolle, indra.de.lanerolle@gmail.com

(Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria,
Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda)

Australia ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation (CCi)
Institute for Social Research, Swinburne University of Technology
www.cci.edu.au/projects/digital-futures

Belgium University of Antwerp

www.uantwerpen.be/en/rg/mios/mission-and-members

Canada Canadian Internet Project (CIP)/Recherche Internet Canada (RIC)

www.cipiconline.ca

Chile Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile: Schools of Communications (head),

Sociology, and Engineering/ Santiago Chamber of Commerce (CCS)
www.wipchile.cl

China ChinaInternet Network Information Center (CNNIC)

www1.cnnic.cn/

Colombia CINTEL – Centro de Investigación de las Telecomunicaciones

www.cintel.org.co

Cyprus Cyprus University of Technology/Department of Communication and Internet

Studies
www.cut.ac.cy/

Czech Republic Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University Brno

www.fss.muni.cz/ivdmr

Ecuador Universidad de los Hemisferios

www.uhemisferios.edu.ec

France M@rsouin Network

www.marsouin.org

Greece EKKE: The National Center for Social Research

www.ekke.gr

Israel The Research Center forInternet Psychology (CIP)

Sammy Ofer School of Communications, The Interdisciplinary Center
www.idc.ac.il/communications/cip/en

Italy SDA Bocconi, Bocconi University

www.sdabocconi.it/home/it/
 149

Japan Toyo University

www.soc.toyo.ac.jp/~mikami/wip/en/index.html

Macao University of Macau, ERS E-Research (Lab)

MacaoInternet Project (MIP)
www.macaointernetproject.net

Mexico Tecnológico de Monterrey,ProyectoInternet

www.wip.mx

Middle East Contact: Robb Barton Wood, rwood@northwestern.edu

(Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, United Arab
Emirates)

New Zealand NZ Work Research Institute

AUT University of Technology
www.workresearch.aut.ac.nz

Portugal LisbonInternet and Networks International Research Programme (LINI)

http://www.lini-research.org

Qatar Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q)

www.qatar.northwestern.edu

Russia Sholokhov Moscow State University for the Humanities

http://mggu-sh.ru/en

Singapore Singapore Internet Research Centre (SiRC)

Nanyang Technological University
www.ntu.edu.sg/sci/sirc

South Africa University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

The Media Observatory Wits Journalism,
www.journalism.co.za

Sweden IIS (TheInternet Infrastructure Foundation)

www.iis.se

Switzerland University of Zurich, Switzerland

Media Change & Innovation Division
IPMZ – Institute of Mass Communication and Media Research
www.mediachange.ch

Taiwan Taiwan e-Governance Research Center

Department of Public Administration, National Chengchi University
www.teg.org.tw
http://pa.nccu.edu.tw

Uruguay Universidad Catolica del Uruguay

www.ucu.edu.uy
 150

Supplement 3

Research methods and demographic data

Sample Procurement:
For both the original sample drawn in 2000, and the replacement samples selected in subsequent years until
2013, a national Random Digit Dial (RDD) telephone sample was used. This method gives every telephone
number in the 50 states and the District of Columbia a close to equal chance of being selected.
Due to the increased difficulty in finding hard-to-reach respondents (namely teens/young adults, African-
Americans, and Hispanics) using traditional RDD recruitment, a condition attributed to the rapid shift of
households to mobile phones and growing lack of response to unsolicited phone calls, a new sampling
method was introduced in 2014. As an alternate probability-based sampling method, letter mailers sent to
Address Based Sampling replaced RDD telephone recruitment as the primary source of replacement
recruits.
The address based sample was comprised of a random set of mailing addresses drawn from the entire
universe of non-business residences maintained and provided by the United States Postal Service.
Mailers sent to address based samples allowed for inbound respondents who could either go online to a
new dedicated website to sign-up for an email or SMS (text message) invitation link and/or start the web
survey immediately, or call a toll free number to request a callback to complete the survey on the phone.
Outbound calls were also made to hard-to-reach households within the address based samples that were
matched to phone numbers to boost participation among these groups. Name recognition due to receiving
the mailer ahead of time assisted cooperation rates for these calls.
Prior to 2014, in the initial recruitment call, an interviewer spoke to a person in the household 18 years of
age or older to obtain a roster of all household members. At this point, a computer system (“CFMC
Survent” CATI) randomly selected one individual from among those 12 years of age and over in the
household to be the interviewee from that household. If the randomly selected individual was between 12
and 17 years of age, the interviewer asked a parent or guardian for permission to interview the child.
In years 2000 to 2007, once the selection of a household member was made, only that individual was
eligible to complete the interview.
In years 2008 to 2013, if the household member who was originally selected to complete the interview was
not available, up to two other individuals could be randomly selected from the roster to represent the
household in the survey. If both of the randomly selected individuals were not available, the individual on
the phone was interviewed.
Beginning in 2014, this random selection method within the household was abandoned due to its
detrimental effects on actually achieving an interview with the household. Instead, attempts were made to
interview the initial household member contacted, whether that contact was made offline via the letter
mailers or through a phone call. Near the end of field, quotas were implemented to cap the representation
of certain demographic groups and continue collection of only the most needed groups. Additionally, teens
were augmented after adult quotas were met by specifically requesting their participation through adults in
the household and receiving the consent of parents as needed.
From 2010 to 2013, up to 3 call attempts were made to complete an interview. If a household refused
once, it was not contacted again.
Starting in 2014, RDD recruitment continued as a secondary source of replacement recruits with a focus
on mobile phone numbers only. As in previous years, up to 3 call attempts were made to reach a
respondent at each randomly generated phone number.
 151

The data were collected through a combination of telephone and web surveys. In 2014, the web survey was
re-optimized to be usable on mobile devices as well as desktop and laptop computers. Parallel testing was
conducted to measure any effect the changes in survey format might have on study results and no effects
were found.
Starting in 2015, the mobile-optimized survey was utilized as the sole survey platform for data collection.
Starting in 2010, those repeat respondents and new random respondents who indicated by phone that they
had internet access were directed to complete the interview via the Web. A URL was provided verbally and
a web link was emailed to the potential respondent to allow that respondent to complete the survey via the
Web. Beginning in 2014, sending the web link via SMS (text message) was added as an additional option
for all respondents.
Prior to 2014, a small number of respondents who indicated that they had internet access but preferred to
complete the survey over the phone were allowed to do so.
Starting in 2014, all respondents contacted by phone were first asked to complete the survey immediately
over the phone in addition to being given/sent the web link to complete the survey at a later time. Both
options were used. Additional discretion was given to the phone interviewers to use all options to best
achieve a completed interview in the interest of the study goals.
Starting in 2010, when contacting panel members from the original sample, up to10 call attempts were
made to reach them. If the person interviewed in the prior year was no longer a member of the household,
no substitution of a different household member was made.
Starting in 2010, all respondents were paid a $10 incentive. Starting in 2013, respondents in hard-to-reach
groups were paid a $20 incentive to increase participation rates.

Data Collection and Weighting:

Interviews were conducted in English. Interviewing took place between October 26th, 2016 and January
10th, 2017.
To correct for discrepancies between the sample data and Census data, the sample data was weighted.
However, unlike in 2013 where a complicated and nuanced weighting scheme was necessary to correct for
extreme skews to gender, age, income, education and ethnicity, the adjustments made during sample
procurement meant that a much simpler weighting scheme was possible starting in 2014.
Weighting was created based on the 2010 census for gender, age, income, education, and ethnicity. These
demographics were used in a computer-generated sample-balancing (rim weighting) approach to ensure the
weighted result ended with all subgroups matching the census.
In 2013, weights were capped at 3.7 to account for extreme weighting values for some respondents.
However, starting in 2014, very few respondents had weighting values above 3.7 (n=35 in total in 2016), so
no caps were put into place as this would have had little/no impact on the results.
 152

Demographic Data

2012 with 2013 with 2014 with 2015 with 2016 with
2010 Census Weighting Weighting Weighting Weighting Weighting
Income
Less than or equal to 29,999 31% 27% 31% 31% 30% 30%
30,000 to 49,999 20% 18% 19% 19% 20% 20%
50,000 to 99,999 30% 33% 29% 30% 30% 30%
100,000 or more 20% 22% 20% 20% 20% 20%
Age/Gender
Males :12-17 5% 3% 5% 5% 5% 5%
Males :18-24 6% 5% 6% 6% 6% 6%
Males :25-34 8% 5% 8% 8% 8% 8%
Males :35-44 8% 8% 8% 8% 8% 8%
Males :45-54 9% 9% 9% 9% 9% 8%
Males :55-64 7% 8% 7% 7% 7% 7%
Males :65-74 4% 5% 4% 4% 4% 4%
Males :75-84 2% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2%
Males :85 & Above 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%
Females :12-17 5% 3% 5% 5% 5% 5%
Females :18-24 6% 4% 6% 6% 6% 6%
Females :25-34 8% 6% 8% 8% 8% 8%
Females :35-44 8% 9% 8% 8% 8% 8%
Females :45-54 9% 10% 9% 9% 9% 9%
Females :55-64 7% 9% 7% 7% 7% 7%
Females :65-74 4% 6% 5% 4% 4% 5%
Females :75-84 3% 4% 4% 3% 3% 3%
Females :85 & Above 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%
Education
Less than HS Grad 22% 12% 21% 21% 21% 21%
HS Grad no college 27% 25% 27% 27% 27% 27%
Some college/associates degree 26% 30% 25% 26% 25% 26%
Bachelor’s degree or higher 25% 34% 27% 26% 26% 26%
Ethnicity
Hispanic 17% 11% 16% 16% 16% 16%
White/Anglo/Caucasian/
75% 81% 77% 73% 73% 74%
Middle-eastern
Black/African American 14% 10% 14% 13% 13% 13%
Asian/ Pacific Islander 6% 6% 6% 6% 6% 6%
Center for the Digital Future at USC Annenberg
11444 West Olympic Blvd, Suite 120
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310)235-4444
www.digitalcenter.org

info@digitalcenter.org
Center for the Digital Future at USC Annenberg
11444 West Olympic Blvd, Suite 120
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310)235-4444
www.digitalcenter.org

info@digitalcenter.org