Declining Majority of Online Adults Say the Internet Has Been Good for Society
At the same time, the contours of connectivity are shifting: One-in-five Americans (20%) are now ‘smartphone only’ internet users at home.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
At the same time, the contours of connectivity are shifting: One-in-five Americans (20%) are now ‘smartphone only’ internet users at home.
Although Americans expect certain positive outcomes from developments in automation, they are worried and concerned about the implications of these technologies for society as a whole.
24% of Americans report earning money from the digital ‘platform economy’ in the past year. The extra income they make is a luxury for some, but a necessity for others.
A majority of Americans predict that within 50 years, robots and computers will do much of the work currently done by humans, but few expect their own jobs to experience substantial impacts.
The sharing economy and on-demand services are weaving their way into the lives of many Americans, raising difficult issues around jobs, regulation and the potential emergence of a new digital divide.
Experts envision automation and intelligent digital agents permeating vast areas of our work and personal lives by 2025, but they are divided on whether these advances will displace more jobs than they create.
Adoption is increasing, but many seniors remain isolated from digital life
While African Americans continue to trail whites when it comes to internet use and home broadband adoption overall, young African Americans are just as likely as their white counterparts to use the internet and have especially high rates of Twitter use.
Up from 25% last year, more than half of those in households earning $75,000 or more now have tablets. Up from 19% last year, 38% of those in upper-income households now have e-readers.
57% of American adults use their cell phone to go online. 21% of cell phone owners say they mostly access the internet using their phone.
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