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Americans Using Internet 'Just for Fun'

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the i-live-here-so-i-wouldn't-know dept.

Ant writes "CNET News.com reports that nearly one-third of American Internet users go online just for fun." From the article: "A survey of 1,931 Internet users conducted by Pew Internet & American Life Project in late November and December 2005 found 30 percent of respondents said they went online "for no particular reason" on the previous day. That was up from 21 percent in a November 2004 survey. The survey also showed that 34 percent of online men were surfing for fun on an average day in December, compared with 26 percent of women."

22 of 158 comments (clear)

  1. Look on the bright side by suso · · Score: 5, Funny

    That means that 2/3s are actually using it for actual work.

    1. Re:Look on the bright side by VJ42 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Indeed, I'm suprised that the figure who use it for porn^h^h^h^h fun isn't higher.

      --
      If I have nothing to hide, you have no reason to search me
    2. Re:Look on the bright side by IAAP · · Score: 5, Funny
      That means that 2/3s are actually using it for actual work.

      I am. I am in a personal study of pornography on the internet. I am also doing a business plan for an online porn business which requires MUCH research on my part. I am also investigating the neuro-masturbatory reflexes in middle aged males. I am also investigating the proliferation of "MILF" websites. I have many, many more work related activities that I perform on the interent.

      So, you sir are quite correct. 2/3s of us are working.

    3. Re:Look on the bright side by Rude+Turnip · · Score: 5, Funny

      Slashdot is very work related for me. It allows me to engage in discussions of multiple topics and hone my critical thinking and analytical skills, keeping me sharp and witty. When I'm writing a response to the IRS for an audit issue, I've already had enough experience in dealing with trolls and general stupidity to handle the IRS with great aplomb.

      --
      Bill Clinton: Pimp we can believe in. - The Shirt!!!
  2. Poor saps by typical · · Score: 3, Funny

    From the article: "A survey of 1,931 Internet users conducted by Pew Internet & American Life Project in late November and December 2005 found 30 percent of respondents said they went online "for no particular reason" on the previous day. That was up from 21 percent in a November 2004 survey.

    Poor saps.

    I Slashdot with well-defined and concrete goals in mind.

    --
    Any program relying on (nontrivial) preemptive multithreading will be buggy.
  3. "Fun" by jahudabudy · · Score: 3, Funny

    The survey also showed that 34 percent of online men were surfing for fun on an average day in December

    Well, I guess looking at porn is fun...

    --
    ...sometimes, in order to hurt someone very badly, you have to tell that person terrible lies. - PA
  4. spelling mistake by parseexception · · Score: 5, Funny

    "for no particular reason"
    I thought it was spelled pr0n

    --
    Yeah, I saw a yard gnome once, it didn't scare me - Space Ghost
  5. surprised the numbers are so low by JeanBaptiste · · Score: 3, Funny

    This would describe about 30 hours out of my 40 hour work week.

  6. fun? by solidtransient · · Score: 3, Funny

    I wouldn't call the hours and hours I've wasted at stupidvideos.com fun. Well, I guess I would.

    --
    firestream.net
  7. The Internet is for Fun^H^H^HPorn! by Bogon · · Score: 4, Funny

    As the fine folks of AvenueQ would say... "just grab your d*ck and double-click!" :)

    http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/internet4por n
    1. Re:The Internet is for Fun^H^H^HPorn! by gstoddart · · Score: 2, Funny
      As the fine folks of AvenueQ [avenueq.com] would say... "just grab your d*ck and double-click!" :)

      Must ... not ... click ... tantalizing ... link ... at ... work ...
      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  8. There's nothing fun... by brian0918 · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...about getting your ass handed to you by a bunch of 12 year old script kiddies in Counter-Strike.....

    1. Re:There's nothing fun... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
      They're not really 12 year olds, they just say that. They're all 30 year old FBI agents cruising for pedophiles.

      (Not really true, but if you believe it enough, it takes some of the sting of defeat away.)

  9. They're all on myspace too! by chroot_james · · Score: 2, Funny

    That entire 1/3.

    --
    Reality is nothing but a collective hunch.
  10. Re:The fun number seems low by brian0918 · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Seeing how much porn is on the Internet, and assuming Internet porn addicts have fun with it, I am suprized to hear that only 33% of the US surfers use the internet for fun"

    They probably need to take into account both types of masturbation: physical, and mental.

  11. Misspelling.... by wolfemi1 · · Score: 4, Funny
    ...one-third of American Internet users go online just for fun.

    I think they misspelled "Pr0n".

  12. for the articles by fugu · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm just reading it for the articles...

  13. We're talking about Americans here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    They probably think they're online when they're watching TV.

  14. No reason at all by darkain · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well, I went online today for "no particular reason", and just happened to stuble across this article in my RSS reader. I wasnt out LOOKING for articles on how people waste time on the internet.....

    (on a side note, i'm sure that those 66% that DID have a reason, that reason would be pr0n... oh wait, why the hell am I still on slashdot?)

  15. As an American by starX · · Score: 3, Funny

    I am proud to say that 1/3 of us surf as 9/10 of us live. Used to be, back in the day, that only the more athletic, outgoing types got to have fun, but thanks to the miracles of technology, the pocket-protector and taped glasses set gets to fritter away our lives idly as well. Ah the miracles of technology....

    I myself dream of the day when all the people of the world can sit at home in a dark room, untouched by soap or natural light, listlessly reloading slashdot and the onion, and googling in the hopes that they'll find something new and interesting. It is this persistant optimism that there is a better way to be lazy that is at the very heart of American culture, and this is the greatest gift we have to give the world.

  16. The other 70%... by Firehed · · Score: 2, Funny

    ... considered looking at pr0n to be a meaningful activity, rather than "fun" or "no particular reason".

    --
    How are sites slashdotted when nobody reads TFAs?
  17. Interesting... by Ctawp · · Score: 2, Funny

    I didn't realize WoW subscriptions were quite that high yet. Impressive. =)

    --
    -Chris

    Time IQ - Web Based Time Tracking