Computers and the Internet

How much time, if at all, do you personally spend using the Internet -- more than an hour a day, up to one hour a day, a few times a week, a few times a month or less, or never?

More than an hour


Up to
one hour


A few times a week

A few times a month or less




Never



No
opinion

%

%

%

%

%

%

2007 Dec 6-9

43

17

11

7

23

*

2006 Dec 11-14

37

19

13

8

24

*

2005 Dec 5-8

33

18

13

9

27

*

2004 Dec 5-8

32

16

19

8

25

*

2003 Dec 11-14

27

20

15

10

27

1

2002 Dec 5-8

26

16

18

12

28

*



How often do you, yourself, use the Internet to do the following -- frequently, occasionally, rarely or never? How about for -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

[BASED ON INTERNET USERS]

A. Sending and reading e-mail

Frequent-ly

Occasion-ally


Rarely


Never

No opinion

2005 Dec 5-8

67%

20

6

7

--

2003 Dec 11-14

65%

19

9

7

--



B. Using instant messaging

Frequent-ly

Occasion-ally


Rarely


Never

No opinion

2005 Dec 5-8

16%

12

14

58

*

2003 Dec 11-14

21%

13

17

48

1



C. Shopping

Frequent-ly

Occasion-ally


Rarely


Never

No opinion

2005 Dec 5-8

18%

34

19

29

*

2003 Dec 11-14

15%

34

20

31

--



D. Playing games

Frequent-ly

Occasion-ally


Rarely


Never

No opinion

2005 Dec 5-8

16%

12

16

56

*

2003 Dec 11-14

16%

15

18

51

--



E. Checking news and weather

Frequent-ly

Occasion-ally


Rarely


Never

No opinion

2005 Dec 5-8

45%

27

11

17

--

2003 Dec 11-14

41%

27

15

17

--



F. Making travel plans

Frequent-ly

Occasion-ally


Rarely


Never

No opinion

2005 Dec 5-8

19%

33

19

29

*

2003 Dec 11-14

18%

26

19

37

*



G. Paying bills online

Frequent-ly

Occasion-ally


Rarely


Never

No opinion

2005 Dec 5-8

27%

13

10

50

--

2003 Dec 11-14

20%

9

10

61

--



H. Budgeting personal finances

Frequent-ly

Occasion-ally


Rarely


Never

No opinion

2005 Dec 5-8

17%

12

12

58

1

2003 Dec 11-14

16%

10

14

60

--



I. Finding medical advice

Frequent-ly

Occasion-ally


Rarely


Never

No opinion

2005 Dec 5-8

10%

31

27

32

--

2003 Dec 11-14

12%

26

25

37

--



J. Watching video web casts or video clips

Frequent-ly

Occasion-ally


Rarely


Never

No opinion

2005 Dec 5-8

8%

14

18

60

--



K. Downloading music

Frequent-ly

Occasion-ally


Rarely


Never

No opinion

2005 Dec 5-8

10%

12

12

66

--



L. Reading "blogs" or web logs

Frequent-ly

Occasion-ally


Rarely


Never

No opinion

2005 Dec 5-8

9%

11

13

66

1



M. Buying or selling products in online auctions, such as on E-Bay

Frequent-ly

Occasion-ally


Rarely


Never

No opinion

2005 Dec 5-8

7%

16

17

60

*



Do you, personally, use the Internet at your home, place of work, or school?

Yes

No

No opinion

2005 Feb 25-27

76%

24

--

2002 May 28-29

68%

32

*

2002 Mar 22-24

69%

31

*



As you may know, there are websites known as "blogs" or "web logs," where people sometimes post their thoughts. How familiar are you with "blogs" -very familiar, somewhat familiar, not too familiar, or not at all familiar?


Very familiar

Some-what familiar


Not too familiar


Not at all familiar


No
opinion

2005 Feb 25-27

7%

19

18

56

*



How often do you, personally, read "blogs" on the Internet -- every day, a few times a week, a few times a month, less often than that, or never?



Every
day


Few times
a week


Few times a month

Less often
than that




Never

Do not have Internet
access



No opinion

National Adults

2005 Feb 25-27

3%

4

8

13

48

24

*

Internet Users

2005 Feb 25-27

4%

5

10

18

63

--

*

And how often do you, personally, read "blogs" that deal with political issues -- every day, a few times a week, a few times a month, less often than that, or never?



Every
day


Few times
a week


Few times a month

Less often
than that




Never


Do not read blogs

Do not have Internet access



No opin-
ion

National Adults

2005 Feb 25-27

2%

4

6

11

5

48

24

--

Internet Users

2005 Feb 25-27

2%

5

8

15

7

63

--

--

"Blog" Readers

2005 Feb 25-27

7%

13

20

41

19

--

--

--

How often do you, personally, use a computer at your home, place of work, or school-frequently, sometimes, occasionally, or never?


Frequently

Some-times

Occasion-ally


Never

No opinion

2003 Apr 22-23

61%

8

10

21

--



Please tell me if you ever go on-line to send or receive email.

[ BASED ON -809-ADULTS WHO USE A COMPUTER AT THEIR HOME, WORK, OR SCHOOL]

Yes, do

No, do not

No opinion

2003 Apr 22-23

83%

17

*



Do you get a lot of "SPAM" or unwanted e-mail messages, or isn't this a problem for you?

[BASED ON -692-COMPUTER USERS WHO GO ON-LINE TO SEND OR RECEIVE EMAIL]

Yes, get a lot
of SPAM

No, isn't a
problem

No
opinion

2003 Apr 22-23

67%

33

*



In the past year, have you quit an email service or considered quitting an email service because of the amount of SPAM e-mail you get? [IF YES PROBE]: Did you quit or did you just consider quitting?

[BASED ON -448-E-MAIL USERS WHO GET A LOT OF "SPAM" EMAIL MESSAGES]


Yes,
quit

Yes, considered quitting



No


No
opinion

2003 Apr 22-23

13%

24

63

*



Have you ever downloaded music from an Internet site that was not authorized by a record company, or not?

[BASED ON --703-- INTERNET USERS]

Yes, have downloaded

No,
have not

No
opinion

2002 May 28-29

18%

81

1

2002 Mar 22-24

17%

82

1



COMBINED RESPONSES

2002 May 28-29

2002 Mar 22-24

%

%

Use the Internet at home, place of work, or school

68

69

(Have downloaded music)

(13)

(12)

(Have not downloaded music)

(55)

(57)

Do not have access to the Internet

32

31

No opinion

*

*



As you may know, people can listen to songs on the Internet and make copies of them for free. Does the fact that you can do this make you more likely -- or less likely -- to buy a performer's CD, or does it make no difference?

[BASED ON --703-- INTERNET USERS]

More likely

Less likely

No difference

No opinion

2002 May 28-29

8%

13

79

*



As you may know, some CDs are now being manufactured so that you can only make one copy of the CD after you purchase it. Would you buy a CD with this technology, or would you refuse to buy it even if it was one you would normally buy?


Would buy a CD

Would refuse to buy it


No opinion

2002 May 28-29

64%

24

12



Have you ever downloaded movies from an Internet site that was not authorized by the production company, or not?

[BASED ON --703-- INTERNET USERS]

Yes, have downloaded

No, have not

No opinion

2002 May 28-29

3%

96

1



COMBINED RESPONSES

2002 May 28-29

%

Use the Internet at home, place of work, or school

68

(Have downloaded movies)

(2)

(Have not downloaded movies)

(66)

Do not have access to the Internet

32

No opinion

*



How likely is it that you would download movies from an Internet site if you could do so quickly and easily -- very likely, somewhat likely, not too likely, or not at all likely?

[BASED ON --703-- INTERNET USERS]

Very
likely

Somewhat likely

Not too
likely

Not at all
likely

No
opinion

2002 May 28-29

21%

18

22

38

1



Thinking about songs people copy from their CDs onto their computers, do you think it should be legal -- or illegal -- to trade these songs with other people on the Internet?

Legal

Illegal

No opinion

2002 Mar 22-24

43%

46

11



Would you favor or oppose record companies making it possible to create just a few copies of a CD?

Favor

Oppose

No opinion

2002 Mar 22-24

48%

42

10



Would you favor or oppose a law requiring companies that make CD players to manufacture them in such a way so that consumers could not make copies?

Favor

Oppose

No opinion

2002 Mar 22-24

32%

63

5



How closely have you followed "issues relating to privacy of personal information and use patterns on the Internet" -- very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely, or not at all closely?

[BASED ON -- 573 -- INTERNET USERS; ± 5 PCT. PTS.]

Very
closely

Somewhat closely

Not too closely

Not at all closely

No
opinion

2000 Sep 11-13

16

36

30

18

0



How concerned are you personally about the privacy of personal information you give out on the Internet, as well as privacy regarding what you do on the Internet -- very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not at all concerned?

[BASED ON -- 573 -- INTERNET USERS; ± 5 PCT. PTS.]

Very concerned

Somewhat concerned

Not too concerned

Not at all concerned

No
opinion

2000 Sep 11-13

53

29

14

4

*



How concerned are you personally about each of the following? How about…[ROTATED]? Are you very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not at all concerned?

[BASED ON -- 573 -- INTERNET USERS; ± 5 PCT. PTS.]

A. Large online databases which publish telephone directories, property tax information, legal information and other publicly available records which allow database subscribers to investigate the lives of ordinary Americans

Very concerned

Somewhat concerned

Not too concerned

Not at all concerned

No
opinion

2000 Sep 11-13

60

22

12

6

*



B. Corporate websites gathering marketing information about consumers by tracking their online Internet habits

Very concerned

Somewhat concerned

Not too concerned

Not at all concerned

No
opinion

2000 Sep 11-13

43

32

16

9

0



C. Internet advertisers gathering marketing information about people who click on their ads by tracking their online internet habits

Very concerned

Somewhat concerned

Not too concerned

Not at all concerned

No
opinion

2000 Sep 11-13

44

30

19

7

*



D. The government's ability to "tap" into a suspect's computer and follow their Internet usage

Very concerned

Somewhat concerned

Not too concerned

Not at all concerned

No
opinion

2000 Sep 11-13

47

26

16

11

*



E. The government's ability to "tap" into suspects' home computer files

Very concerned

Somewhat concerned

Not too concerned

Not at all concerned

No
opinion

2000 Sep 11-13

54

24

16

6

*



F. Software which allows the government to "tap" into all Internet email, searching for incriminating evidence of any kind

Very concerned

Somewhat concerned

Not too concerned

Not at all concerned

No
opinion

2000 Sep 11-13

63

23

9

5

*



Would you favor or oppose federal legislation which would force Internet service providers to turn over email records and download logs as court evidence?

[BASED ON -- 573 -- INTERNET USERS; ± 5 PCT. PTS.]

Favor

Oppose

No opinion

2000 Sep 11-13

45

51

4



In your opinion, should the Federal government be paying [ROTATED: more attention to matters of Internet privacy (or) less attention to matters of Internet privacy (or) things are about right the way they are]?

[BASED ON -- 573 -- INTERNET USERS; ± 5 PCT. PTS.]

More
attention

Less
attention

About
right

Mixed/Neither (vol.)

No
opinion

2000 Sep 11-13

53

13

31

1

2



Do you think the Federal government should do more or do less to ensure citizen's privacy on-line - or is the Federal government doing about the right amount now?

[BASED ON -- 573 -- INTERNET USERS; ± 5 PCT. PTS.]



Do more



Do less

Currently doing right amount
(vol.)


No
opinion

2000 Sep 11-13

50

6

41

3



Which political party do you think will be able to do a better job of dealing with matters of internet privacy in the coming years-- [ROTATED: the Democratic Party (or) the Republican Party]?

[BASED ON -- 573 -- INTERNET USERS; ± 5 PCT. PTS.]

Democratic
Party

Republican
Party

Both/Neither
(vol.)

No
opinion

2000 Sep 11-13

38

34

14

14



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