• by Seana Mulcahy , October 4, 2004

It was about 10 years ago. No matter who it was from political leaders, to teachers to college grads to my Nana, everyone was buzzing about the newly hyped, "Information Super Highway." I'll never forget a college graduation speech I heard at that time. The young-and-oh-so-perky grad smiled beamingly and said, "As we walk through these doors of achievement onto the information super highway, I am thrilled with anticipation but don't even have a car."

A little over a week ago a new Digital Future Report was released. The staff and programs of the UCLA Center for Communication Policy have joined the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California in the newly created Center for the Digital Future at USC Annenberg. The 10 trends identified by the Center for the Digital Future are:

1. In America, there seems to be no digital divide. About 75 percent of Americans can access the Internet from some location - home, work, school, libraries, and other locations. However, out of all the access options, many still do not have Internet access at home. The fastest growing groups going online are Latinos, African Americans, and older Americans.

2. Media habits have changed as a result of the Internet. The Internet has continuously taken time away from TV for the past 10 years. The number of hours spent online continues to increase, rising to an average of 12.5 hours per week - the highest level in the study thus far. Savvy net users watch TV the least. These habits continue to change and have critical ramifications. Media consumption has social impact. Traditional advertisers have been watching with boxing gloves on.

3. The Credibility of the Internet Is Dropping Ten to seven years ago most people found the Internet credible. To no surprise, credibility has tanked in several regards: e-mail/spam, spyware, intrusiveness, online information, etc. The number of users who believe that only about half of the information on the Internet is accurate and reliable is growing and has now passed 40 percent of users for the first time. However, most people say they tend to trust the sites they frequent.

4. eCommerce has been turned on it's head Remember in the beginning...there were few products on ever fewer sites, viewing items were clunky, security was not much of an issue...well this has escalated through the years to concerns of submitting credit card information as well as other personal information. Credit card wariness has declined. Internet users buy online. The study has found that as usage increases, buying increases.

5. The "Geek-Nerd" Perception of the Internet Is Dead Ten years ago, many people thought the Net was only for techies. Now it seems as if just about everyone goes online. The Internet as a communication tool is huge too. Instant messaging and e-mail are day-to-day activities. The more people are online, the more they communicate online.

6. Privacy and Security: Concerns Remain, but the High Levels are Changing People remain leery of their own individual information and security. They are also concerned with companies and people watching or tracking what they do online. There is still a we-fear-what-we-don't-know element to the Net when it comes to technology as it relates to security. People think about their information including their identity being stolen.

7. The Internet Has Become the No. 1 Source for Information for Internet Users We've all been using these stats for year-especially this one. This seems to be our golden pearl. The Net is listed as No. 1 place users go for research, general information, hobbies, entertainment listings, travel, health, and investments. The "always-on" function of broadband has accelerated this importance. Hands down, the Internet is used as a quick information source.

8. Kids Online: It is still good versus evil Seems like no matter who you talk to, people are concerned about kids online. We are concerned about our online security, but even more so when it comes to kids. Adults fear that their kids are being watched. We need to monitor their activities. For many parents this is discouraging and it takes a lot of time.

9. E-mail Hoopla Among our crowd, e-mail gets slammed all the time. However, it is still listed as the single most important reason people go online. Many people find it a convenience and an opportunity to stay connected to friends and family. Concerns about spam and in-box overload have increasingly risen throughout the decade. Although many list it as the No. 1 reason, they also say they don't answer e-mail as often.

10. Broadband Will Change Everything - Again High speed access is like crack to dial-up converters. Once they experience it, they want more and will surf more. There is no doubt it has changed the way everyone surfs. Access has changed drastically due to the "always on" feature. Remember the good ole days of always having to log on?

I encourage you to download the pdf of the full report. I applaud all who have spent copious amounts of time preparing this. It is a lot to digest. After you've checked it out, drop back and and share your comments on the SPINboard.