To mark the 25th anniversary of the World Wide Web in March, the Pew Research Center conducted surveys about Americans’ general opinion of the Internet. The center is publishing a series of reports documenting its findings over the next few months.
Although the World Wide Web wasn’t implemented until 1991, its inventor, Tim Berners-Lee, wrote a proposal for how it would work in March 1989. Since then, the Internet has grown from a few computers with static information to billions of devices with web applications and dynamic content.
As part of its Internet Project, the Pew Research Center released the first of its reports, containing a myriad of statistics based on feedback from its survey participants. The full report can be found here.
Many of these results were interesting and show how much the world, and those who live in it, have changed in 25 years. Some changes that one would expect to see are increases in the usage of cell phones, especially smartphones. As crazy as it may seem now, there was once a time when smartphones were more obscure than feature phones. The survey shows that adult ownership of cell phones went from 53% in 2000 to to 90% today. The amount of smartphones owned rose from 35% in 2011 to 58% now.
The perception of the Internet is something that has evolved over time as well. As it pervades everyday life more and more, the Web brings both positives and negatives with it. The center asked participants the question: “Has the internet been a good or bad thing for society?” Of the 857 Internet users polled, 76% said it was good, 15% said it was bad, and 8% said it was some of both. I would say it is definitely a bit of both, however, much more positive than negative.
Some of the negative results of our connectedness are being explored by historians, psychologists, and scientists today, even here at Stevens with the Science and Technology Studies department. There are many books written on the negative effects of the Internet and what it is doing to people and life in general. Even Hollywood has weighed in on the subject, with Spike Jonze’s recent, Oscar-nominated film, Her, which explores the complex relationship between a man and his operating system.
Other interesting results include the percent of Internet users surveyed who said certain technologies would be hard to give up (see picture). The fact that many of these technologies require the Internet probably caused some overlap between the choices. For me, it would probably be hardest to give up email and my cell phone, however, those also fall under Internet.
It’s amazing to think that so many Americans rely every day on something that didn’t even exist 25 years ago. If the Stevens community was surveyed, one would presume that the results would be even more in favor of the Internet. As anyone could guess and the Pew survey confirms, the highest usage level of computers, cell phones, and the Internet is the 18-29 age group. For each category, the numbers decrease as age increases.
The most fascinating thing is that no one knew what the World Wide Web was 25 years ago. Yet today, it is used daily by billions of people. As we look to our future with the presence of these technologies, what will be
the “next” Internet?
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