30% of Internet Users Go Online “For No Particular Reason”

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30% of Internet Users Go Online “For No Particular Reason”

6:00 am on February 19, 2006 | Category: Web Services

A recent study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project suggests that almost a third of American internet users go online purely for fun, rather than to check email, read email, or search for specific information.

“This tells us the internet is another place where people increasingly go to while away their time or just to hang out,” said senior Pew researcher, Deborah Fallows.

The study, which included 1,931 internet users, determined that 30% of surfers went online “for no particular reason” on the previous day. This is a notable increase over the 21% recorded by a similar survey in late 2004.

It was also determined that men waste more time online than women, with 34% and 26% respectively going online without reason.

In terms of other activities, the survey found that 52% of users check email on the average day, while 38% use a search engine, and 31% read news. Pew said that this survey has a margin of error amounting to plus or minus 2%.