The Internet as a Diversion

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The Internet as a Diversion

Three-quarters of online economic users—those Americans who use the internet to keep up with news about the economic recession or their own personal finances—go online to relax and take their minds off of the recession, according to an April 2009 survey by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project.

Listening to music and watching online videos are among the most common of the activities we evaluated; roughly half of all online economic users have done each of these activities to relax. Approximately one-third of online economic users have played online games or chatted with friends (on a social networking site, listserv or other online group), while an additional 22% have taken their minds off of their economic or financial circumstances by creating or posting content online.

Young Americans in particular go online in great numbers to relax by watching videos, listening to music, playing games or chatting with friends.

Read the full report The Internet as a Diversion on the Pew Internet & American Life Project's Web site.

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