--- title: "Americans Feel Better Informed Thanks to the Internet" description: "87% of online Americans say the web helps them learn new things, and 72% say it improves their ability to share ideas. Most enjoy having access to more information, rather than feel overloaded by it." date: "2014-12-08" authors: - name: "Kristen Purcell" job_title: "Guest Contributor" - 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/2014/12/08/better-informed/" categories: - "Emerging Technology" - "Online Search" --- # Americans Feel Better Informed Thanks to the Internet ## Table of Contents 1. [Americans Feel Better Informed Thanks to the Internet](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2014/12/08/better-informed/markdown) 2. [More information Yields More Learning and Sharing](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2014/12/08/more-information-yields-more-learning-and-sharing/markdown) 3. [About the Survey](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2014/12/08/about-the-survey-5-2/markdown) ## Summary of Findings [![Internet users say digital tech makes them better informed than 5 years ago](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2014/12/PI_2014-12-08_better-informed-01.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2014/12/08/better-informed/pi_2014-12-08_better-informed-01/) Rather than crushing them with too much information and making it hard to find useful material, most Americans say the internet and cell phones have brought benefits in learning, sharing and diversifying the flow of information into their lives. A new survey by the Pew Research Center finds that the vast majority of Americans believe their use of the web helps them learn new things, stay better informed on topics that matter to them, and increases their capacity to share ideas and creations with others. These generally positive attitudes are buttressed by the view that people like having so much information at their fingertips, rather than feeling information overload. Moreover, this positive judgment extends to the broader culture. Most believe that average Americans and U.S. students are better informed than in the past. [tweetable url="http://pewrsr.ch/1CO19k1" alt="87% of online adults say the internet and cell phones have improved their ability to learn new things."] [tweetable url="http://pewrsr.ch/1CO19k1" alt="Only 26% of internet users say they feel overloaded by the amount of information on the net."] Online Americans especially highlight how the internet and cell phones have made them better informed about products and services available for sale, national and international news, and popular culture. Asked if their internet use affected their being better informed on these issues compared with five years ago: [tweetable url="http://pewrsr.ch/1CO19k1" alt="81% of online Americans say the web/cellphones have made them better informed about products/services"] [tweetable url="http://pewrsr.ch/1CO19k1" alt="75% of online Americans say the web/cellphones have made them better informed about national news"] [tweetable url="http://pewrsr.ch/1CO19k1" alt="67% of online Americans say the web/cellphones have made them better informed about their friends"] **Civic and community life:** Fewer internet users say these tools have made them better informed about … - Civic and government activities in their community— [tweetable url="http://pewrsr.ch/1CO19k1" alt="49% of online Americans say the web/cellphones have made them better informed about community civic activities"]49% say they feel better informed thanks to digital technology[/tweetable] - Their neighborhood and neighbors— [tweetable url="http://pewrsr.ch/1CO19k1" alt="39% of online Americans say the web/cellphones have made them better informed about their neighbors"]39% say they feel better informed because of their use of digital tools[/tweetable] **** [![Rising share feel digital technology helps their ability to share their ideas and creations](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2014/12/PI_2014-12-08_better-informed-02.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2014/12/08/better-informed/pi_2014-12-08_better-informed-02/) [tweetable url="http://pewrsr.ch/1CO19k1" alt="72% of internet users say digital tech has improved their ability to share their ideas and creations with others"] **Average Americans and students are better informed: **Overall, internet users believe that both the average American and the average student today are better informed thanks to the internet. - 76% of online adults say [tweetable url="http://pewrsr.ch/1CO19k1" alt="76% of online adults say access to the internet has made average Americans better informed"]access to the internet has made *average Americans* better informed, while just 8% saying it has made them less well-informed[/tweetable] - 77% of adult internet users say [tweetable url="http://pewrsr.ch/1CO19k1" alt="77% of online adults say the internet has made today’s students better informed"]the internet has made *today’s students* better informed, with just 8% saying it has made them less well-informed[/tweetable] Perhaps surprisingly in both cases, internet users under age 30 are less likely to believe the internet is making average Americans or today’s students better informed. Instead, they are more likely than their older counterparts to say the internet has had no real impact—19% of young adults say so, compared with 9% percent of those ages 30 and older. #### About this survey The analysis in this report is based on an online probability survey conducted September 12-18, 2014 among a sample of 1,066 adult internet users, 18 years of age or older. The survey was conducted in English by the GfK Group using KnowledgePanel, its nationally representative online research panel. Sampling error for the total sample of 1,066 respondents is plus or minus 3.3 percentage points at the 95% level of confidence. For more information on the GfK Privacy Panel, please see the Methods section at the end of this report. --- **Next:** [More information Yields More Learning and Sharing](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2014/12/08/more-information-yields-more-learning-and-sharing.md)