Internet Use

Americans Increase Internet Use in 2000 

The number of American adults with Internet access increased by 16 million during the last six months of 2000, as women, minorities, and families with modest incomes continued to surge online, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project. 

In all, Pew estimates that more than 104 million adults had access to the Internet at the end of 2000, compared to the more than 168 million people who had Web access from either home or work in January 2001, according to Nielsen//NetRatings. 

Among the report's findings: 

• 56 percent of American adults have Internet access. 
  
• On a typical day at the end of 2000, 58 million Americans were logging on -- an increase of 9 million people in the daily Internet population from mid-year. 
  
• There are notable increases in Internet access among women, minorities, those from households with incomes between $30,000 and $50,000, and parents with children living at home. Those groups are also a bigger proportion of the daily users of the Internet. 
  
• On a typical day, more people were sending e-mail, getting news, and browsing for fun than were doing so at mid-year. 
  
• In the last half of 2000, there were sharp increases in the number of online Americans who have used the Web to pursue their hobbies (an increase of 20 million users), buy products (an increase of 14 million), and browse for fun (an increase of 15 million). 

January 2001 Internet Usage Stats 
The average activity for a Web user in January 2001, as reported by Nielsen//NetRatings
Inc. February 20 

DECEMBER INTERNET UNIVERSE* 

*Home Internet Access from Nielsen//NetRatings