Internet Use growing ...

Internet use in the United States is growing at a rate of 2 million new Internet users each month, according to a study by the U.S. Government. The study found that 143 million Americans (54 percent of the population) used the Internet in September 2001. That’s a 26 percent increase over August 2000.

Dial-up access is still the norm for most Americans that access the Internet, with 80 percent of residential Internet using dial-up.

The most popular use for the Internet is still e-mail, which is used by 45 percent of the overall population, up from 35 percent in 2000.

According to the study, approximately one-third of Americans use the Internet to search for products and service information (36 percent, up from 26 percent in 2000). Among Internet users, 39 percent are making online purchases and 35 percent are searching for health information.

The study also offers evidence that use of the Internet and computers has spread from work to the home. Approximately 24 million of the 65 million employed adults who use a computer at their job also work on a computer at home.

From 1998 to 2001, Internet use among people living in rural households has grown at an annual rate of 24 percent, and the percentage of Internet users living in rural areas is nearly even with the national average (53 percent versus 54 percent). The highest growth rate among different types of households is for single mothers at 29 percent.

You might picture a young stock trader, but the answer is a lot closer to home: Moms.

This according to a survey conducted for America Online (AOL) by Digital Marketing Services (DMS) in April 2002.

It reveals that 97% of moms are using instant messaging and email to keep in touch with their families and friends.

Moms are also emerging as the Internet experts in the family, their online usage surpassing even that of teenagers.

Moms spend more time online than kids, averaging 16.86 hours per week, according to the survey. Teens by comparison spend on average 12.28 hours online, according to another recent survey.

As moms spend more time online, 91% say they find the Internet saves time in their daily lives. 85% say they save at least one hour per week because of the Internet.

Moms are banking and buying gifts online, but they’re not doing it at work: 54% go online weeknights between 8 and 10 P.M. Most moms would like to be able to set up doctor and other appointments via the Internet.

Half of the moms surveyed claim they are more tech savvy than their kids. This comfort with technology is making the computer increasingly present in family life: 84% say the computer is an important part of modern day parenting, and fully 70% of moms say they will always be reachable to their kids via a computer or wireless device

Asked to look to the future, 49% of the survey participants say they will use the Internet more than the TV or telephone.

Search engine 79%

Research products/services 63%

Local information 60%

Contests/sweepstakes 59%

News 53%

Instant messaging 52%

E-greetings/postcards 52%

Online bill viewing 48%

Online newspaper 46%

Online phone directory 46%

Health 46%

Travel research 45%

Chat 41%

Work research 38%

Free software downloads 38%

Online banking 36%

Online bill payment 34%

Job classifieds 33%

Music site viewing 32%

Online audio listening 32%