Internet Use Cuts Socializing Time

Sammy at Palm Addict writes "A new survey published in the New York Times states that using the internet has seriously cut into our socializing time. We spend less time watching TV and more time using the internet and following up email. 'The survey found that use of the Internet has displaced television watching and a range of other activities. Internet users watch television for one hour and 42 minutes a day, compared with the national average of two hours.'"

Comments

Huh?

[code_nerd]

How is watching TV "socializing"?

Re:Huh?

[Crosma]

It isn't. And if anything, using the Internet is more socialable than TV, because of message boards, IRC, IM, etc.

Cuts Socializing time?

[mortonda]

I think that doing email and chatting on IRC count as more social than watching TV. At least it's a form of communication, whereas TV is just brainless.

Oh, please

[welshwaterloo]

"The study, titled "What Do Americans Do on the Internet?".. "

We can only presume the pages of the report are stuck together..

Not for me. TV is a great background activity.

[Peter Cooper]

I watch as much TV, if not more, than ever before. However, due to wi-fi and having a tiny notebook, I can now sit and work/write/do research with the TV in the background, which means my TV watching is semi-productive. I tend to leave the TV on Sky News or something.

Having the Internet to hand makes TV more fun, as you can look up movie trivia on IMDB, or get indepth information on things you've just heard in a documentary. I find it hard watching TV on its own now without playing on the Internet at the same time. TV is a great background activity, though not a good foreground one, IMHO.

Re:Cuts Socializing time?

[ahsile]

I agree as well. Not only is it easier, it's less expensive! Since school ended my friends and I have all migrated to different places. Rather than all of us racking up long distance trying to call each other, we hop on the internet (which we all have a connection to anyway) and chat. Sure, we're not actually speaking to each other... but if we really wanted we could fire up the webcams and the microphones and you're set.

(And once again...) TV is also not a social activity. I don't know how sitting around watching moving pictures constitutes socialization.

Not So True

[Rie Beam]

I recently struck it up with a very nice man from Nigeria...

true

[Zareste]

Oh yeah, definitely. I'm way too busy talking to people in IMs, e-mails, message boards, chat rooms, and IRC, to socialize with anyone.