An interview about the history of the Pew Internet Project and some of the Project's future plans, especially in the areas of education and history.

Excerpt:

Any predictions regarding Americans' Internet use in the future? My most immediate suspicion is that Americans are using the Internet more intensely and divertingly to cope with the current economic troubles. It is one of the subjects we will be researching in the coming months. We'll be looking at the ways Americans are seeking out information about jobs, their personal finances, and real estate. We'll also be looking at the ways the Internet might be a tool for people as they try to divert their attention from their struggles as they browse videos, play games, and chat with friends. By the end of the troubles it might be the case that people's dependence on the internet has grown. On the other hand, it might be the case that some people will go the opposite direction and give up some of their technology and the expense of it as they become more frugal.