Our most recent internet tracking survey was conducted between November 23 and 30 among 914 Americans, including 537 internet users. The national phone survey results have a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points. Here are the highlights:
51% of the 106 million American adults with home internet connections have broadband connections. This is the first time in our data that broadband users have outnumbered dial-up users. In fact, there are now more non-users of the internet than there are dialup users. In addition, 72% of those with internet connections at work have broadband ties. That means 60% of all internet users have broadband connections somewhere in their lives.
There are currently 120 million adult users of the internet.
67% of those adult users of the internet, or 80 million people, have bought something online. On a typical day around Thanksgiving, more than 7 million people were buying things online – an increase of 15% from the number of online shoppers during a typical day during last year’s holiday season.
14% of internet users have contributed to charities online. That is double the number we saw when we first started asking this question during the holiday season of 2001. Online donors tend to be upscale, have broadband connections, and lots of internet experience.
You can get our latest figures for dozens of internet activities at overall internet activities and at daily internet activities .
You can also get our latest findings on the demographic composition of the online population at online demographics .
I want to end with thanks to our wonderful readers. Our funders at the Pew Charitable Trusts are always interested in hearing about the ways that are findings are useful to people and you provide a constant stream of feedback and insight that is helpful and heartening. Keep it coming!