As Internet Use Continues to GROW: Who Is Online?

New York, N.Y. — December 23, 2009 — A new Harris Poll finds that adult Internet users are now spending an average of 13 hours a week online.  Of course, people’s usage varies greatly; one in five (20%) of adult Internet users are online for only two hours or less a week while one in seven (14%) are spending 24 or more hours a week online.

These are a few of the results of a Harris Poll of 2,029 adults surveyed by telephone between July 7 and 12 and October 13 and 18, 2009 by Harris Interactive. 

Over the years the average hours spent online have increased from 7 hours in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002, to between 8 and 9 hours in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.  In 2007, it increased to 11 hours.  Last year (in October after the financial crisis broke and before the presidential election) Internet users were online for 14 hours a week, double what it was from 1999 to 2002.

Those who are online

Other interesting findings in this Harris Poll include:

·         The age groups that spend the most time online are those aged 30-39 (18 hours) and those aged 25-29 (17 hours) and 40-49 (17 hours).

·         Half (50%) of all those online bought something on the Internet in the last month.  This includes 62% of those aged 30-39 and 56% of those aged 40-49.

·         The number of adults online, now 184 million (80%), has not changed significantly since 2008 and 2007.  This includes those online at work, at home, at school or any other locations.

·         However, the number of adults who are online at home has increased to 76% this year, and 75% last year, compared to 70% in 2006, and 66% in 2005.

So what?

The increase in the number of hours spent online in the last two years compared to all previous years is striking. It probably reflects a growing ability to use the Internet, an increase in sites and applications, increased TV watching online and increased purchasing online.  Also, hours online may have increased because of the recession.  Going online is free; going out usually costs money.

TABLE 1

ONLINE FROM HOME, WORK OR OTHER LOCATION – TRENDS 1995–2009

"At home/at work/at another location, do you personally use a computer to Access the Internet/World Wide Web?"

"Excluding email, how many hours per week, on average, do you typically spend on the Internet or World Wide Web?"

Base: All adults

Note: N/A means "not asked"

TABLE 2

HOURS SPENT EACH WEEK ONLINE – BY AGE

"How many hours per week do you typically spend on the Internet or World Wide Web?"At home/at work/at another

Base: Online users

TABLE 3

PURCHASED ONLINE IN LAST MONTH – BY AGE

"Last month did you purchase any products or services over the Internet?"

Base: Online users

Note:  Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% because of rounding.

TABLE 4

PC AND INTERNET USE – TRENDS 1995-2009

"Do you personally use a computer at home, work or another location?"

"At home/at work/at another location, do you personally use a computer to Access the Internet/World Wide Web?"

Base: All adults

Notes: 

1. All samples of 2,000 or more adults, conducted by telephone.

2. "Are Online" includes all adults who use Internet from home, office, school, library or other location.

* Estimated from other sources.

TABLE 5

ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF ADULTS WHO ARE ONLINE (IN MILLIONS)

"At home/at work/at another location, do you personally use a computer to Access the Internet/World Wide Web?"

Base: All adults

*Based on July 2008 U.S. Census estimate released January 2009 (230,117,000 total adults aged 18 or over)

Methodology

This Harris Poll was conducted by telephone within the United States July 7 and 12 and October 13 and 18, 2009 among 2,029 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region, number of adults in the household, number of phone lines in the household were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.