---
title: "The social state of the Net [Updated with video]"
description: "Lee Rainie presents new survey finding about groups, communities, social and civic activity on the internet."
date: "2011-01-18"
authors:
  - name: "Lee Rainie"
    job_title: "Former Director, Internet and Technology Research"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/lee-rainie/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2011/01/18/the-social-state-of-the-net-updated-with-video/"
categories:
  - "Mobile"
  - "Social Media"
tags:
  - "Communities"
  - "Social Networking"
---

# The social state of the Net [Updated with video]

[Lee Rainie](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Experts/Lee-Rainie.aspx) presents [**new survey findings**](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2011/The-Social-Side-of-the-Internet.aspx) to the [Congressional Internet Caucus's State of the Net Conference](http://www.netcaucus.org/conference/2011/) in Washington, D.C. The Pew Internet survey explores how people use the internet and cell phones in social and civic activities. The survey explores the benefits they get from that activity and some of the strains and problems it causes them. The survey also probes for public opinion about the pluses and minuses of online life. The report, "The Social Side of the Internet," is available online and as a PDF [**on our website**](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2011/The-Social-Side-of-the-Internet.aspx).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQk6lccNVKg

If there are problems with the video of the session above, it can also be viewed [**here.**](http://www.youtube.com/user/InternetCaucusAC#p/a/u/2/HQk6lccNVKg)