War Images Sought Out on Internet, But Viewers Uncomfortable According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project telephone survey conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates,
during some of the most turbulent weeks of the Iraq war nearly one quarter of Internet users went online to view some of most graphic war images that were deemed too gruesome or horrific for
newspapers and television to display. Of those who have seen the images, 28% actively sought them out.
Overall, however, Americans are conflicted about the idea of these disturbing images being
available online. By a 49%-40% margin, Americans disapprove of the posting of such images. Broken up into demographic categories, however, opinion varies widely.
A strong cultural divide emerges
between Internet users and non-users: Internet users approve of the images being online by a small margin of 47% - 44%, while non-users disapprove by an overwhelming 58% - 29% margin.
The data
show that millions of Internet users want to be able to view the graphic war images and they see the Internet as an alternative source of news and information from traditional media. But many who do
venture outside the traditional and familiar standards of the mainstream news organizations to look at the images online end up feeling very uncomfortable. The Pew survey indicates, however, that less
than 20% of respondents viewed war images unintentionally.
US Adults' Opinions of Online Display of Graphic War Images (% of respondents)
| Approve | Disapprove |
| Men | 53% | 36% |
| Women | 29 | 61 |
| Under age 30 | 52 | 41 |
| Over age 30 | 37 | 51 |
| College or grad degree | 47 | 43 |
| High school or less | 34 | 55 |
| HH income over $50,000 | 52 | 40 |
| HH income less than $50,000 | 35 | 55 |
| Internet user | 47 | 44 |
| Non-internet user | 29 | 58 |
| Democrats | 52 | 41 |
| Republicans | 42 | 49 |
Source: Pew Internet & American Life, July 2004
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