Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

40 Million Just Hang Out Online Each Day (just to pass time)
Internet Broadcasting Systems ^ | 2/17/06

Posted on 02/17/2006 4:43:04 PM PST by Mr. Brightside

40 Million Just Hang Out Online Each Day

POSTED: 10:46 am EST February 17, 2006

About 40 million Internet users go online just for fun or to pass the time each day, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

Some 30 percent of Internet users go online on any given day for no particular reason, just for fun or to pass the time. That makes it one of the most populat online activities and indicates that the online environment is increasingly popular as a place for people to spend their free time, the group said.

Surfing for fun now stands only behind sending or receiving email (52 percent) and using a search engine (38 percent) as typical daily activities. It is in a virtual tie for third with getting news (31 percent).

In a survey in late November 2004, the group found about 25 million people went online on any given day just to browse for fun.

Two-thirds of people in the survey said that they go online sometimes for fun or just to pass the time. Thirty percent said they had done it the day before they were asked.

Thirty-four percent of men said they had done it the previous day, but only 26 percent of women, though the numbers who had ever done it were similar.

Broadband users at home were more likely to just play online that those with a dialup connection.

The group said that, along with greater broadband penetration, part of the reason for leisurely Web surfing is an increase in content. The Google index of Web pages, for example, has grown over 1,000 times in size since its launch in 1998. The number of websites grew from 17 million in the middle of 2000 to 65 million in the middle of 2005.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: darhsheare; eaker; internet
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-90 next last

1 posted on 02/17/2006 4:43:07 PM PST by Mr. Brightside
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Mr. Brightside

Kind of low.


2 posted on 02/17/2006 4:44:41 PM PST by CindyDawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Brightside

Spells death for Hollywood...


3 posted on 02/17/2006 4:45:37 PM PST by Cedar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CindyDawg

This poll doesnt take into account that with the Internet, you can pass time, send emails check the news and use a search engine all at the same time.


4 posted on 02/17/2006 4:45:53 PM PST by HHKrepublican_2 (OP Spread the Truth....http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1535158/posts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: CindyDawg

Sounds high.

They probably counted me twice.


5 posted on 02/17/2006 4:46:24 PM PST by Mr. Brightside (I know what I like.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Brightside

Isn't Pew the organization that was bragging after the fact that they manufactured "public opinion" where people were clammoring for campaign finance "reform?" If it's the same group, their reputation should be about the same as CBS News for honesty.

Mark


6 posted on 02/17/2006 4:46:32 PM PST by MarkL (When Kaylee says "No power in the `verse can stop me," it's cute. When River says it, it's scary!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Brightside

No comment. Just hangin' out.


7 posted on 02/17/2006 4:46:41 PM PST by AmishDude
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Brightside

Some of us come here to argue.


8 posted on 02/17/2006 4:47:35 PM PST by ElkGroveDan (California bashers will be called out)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Brightside

Make that 40,000,000,001


9 posted on 02/17/2006 4:48:59 PM PST by MensRightsActivist
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ElkGroveDan

And some of us hang out, just to watch you argue.


10 posted on 02/17/2006 4:49:06 PM PST by Mr. Brightside (I know what I like.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Brightside
The group said that, along with greater broadband penetration, part of the reason for leisurely Web surfing is an increase in content.

They continued, "But let's face it, the main reason is, well, have you seen the crap that's on television?

11 posted on 02/17/2006 4:50:08 PM PST by TheyConvictedOglethorpe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cedar
"Spells death for Hollywood..."

GOOD!!!

12 posted on 02/17/2006 4:50:47 PM PST by MensRightsActivist
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Brightside
In other breaking news, Microsoft announces new security flaw, and Pope denounces violence.

This is an official:

article.

13 posted on 02/17/2006 4:53:02 PM PST by Richard Kimball (I like to make everyone's day a little more surreal)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Brightside
Within 5 minutes of waking in the am: Log on to FreeRepublic.com to check for overnight pings or zots that need a reply.

Check the daily weather for what to wear.

Lunch: Check FreeRepublic.com for the latest news.
Go back to work.

After work:Check FreeRepublic.com for what happened in the world while I was at work........

See, I have a good reason. Its not just passing time. I dont just browse because its set as my home page and I dont have to click on anything except "New Posts to You" and "Reload", occationally "Smokey Backroom".

14 posted on 02/17/2006 4:54:49 PM PST by Delta 21 (MKC USCG-ret)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MensRightsActivist

Most definitely good.


15 posted on 02/17/2006 4:56:58 PM PST by Cedar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Brightside

*BUMP*!


16 posted on 02/17/2006 4:58:27 PM PST by ex-Texan (Matthew 7:1 through 6)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Brightside; Fred Nerks; USF; justche; Former Dodger; AmericanArchConservative; All
I can't speak for the internet as a whole...but freepers try to surf the intellectual wave. We wait for an article of substance and we push our reactions forward...if we catch the wave (get a response or at least have some tiny readership), we have done our job.

Life is about the evolution of ideas. Weak and infirmed ideas fall and are devoured by stronger and more incisive thoughts. And then those stronger thoughts find themselves defending the higher ground.

Almost like "singularity"...but more like the bloody plains of primal Africa...but of ideas this time. The survival of the fittest."

I suggest it is time for islam to come onto this field...let's see how it performs!

17 posted on 02/17/2006 4:59:38 PM PST by Dark Skies ("A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants." -- Churchill)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Brightside
And some of us hang out, just to watch you argue.

No you don't.

18 posted on 02/17/2006 5:00:19 PM PST by ElkGroveDan (California bashers will be called out)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Brightside

Better'n knitting.


19 posted on 02/17/2006 5:01:11 PM PST by numberonepal (Don't Even Think About Treading On Me)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Brightside; onyx; Mo1; Peach; Dog; Miss Marple; deport; A Citizen Reporter; Txsleuth; ...
````slinking away````
20 posted on 02/17/2006 5:05:05 PM PST by Howlin ("Quick, he's bleeding! Is there a <strike>doctor</strike> reporter in the house?")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-90 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson