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Ad Group Says Internet Accounts For 5.1M US Jobs, 3.7% of GDP

Posted by timothy on from the exact-figures-are-124.987-percent-accurate dept.

lpress writes "A Harvard Business School study sponsored by the Interactive Advertising Bureau shows that the ad-supported Internet is responsible for 5.1 million jobs in the U.S. — two million direct and 3.1 million indirect. They report that the Internet accounted for 3.7% of 2011 GDP. The research, development and procurement that launched the Internet back in the 1970s and 1980s cost the US taxpayers $124.5 million at the time — not a bad investment!" Your calculations may vary.

3 of 73 comments (clear)

  1. Adblock by Ironchew · · Score: 4, Funny

    So does that mean my Adblock Plus/NoScript combo is killing jobs?

    If so, I'm too satisfied with my ad-free internet to really give a damn.

  2. Much larger than the movie and music industries by innocent_white_lamb · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So the employment is much larger than the movie and music industries.

    And the video game industry is also larger than movies and music.

    Why is the tail always doing the barking for the dog again?

    --
    If you're a zombie and you know it, bite your friend!
  3. This is sad by DaMattster · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is just indicative of how our society is going downhill. America cannot be viable long term on a service-based economy. We must do more manufacturing. Those that own the means of production have the ability to rapidly innovate. If we don't stem the tide of partisan corruption and sending manufacturing overseas, the United States is going to go the way of Rome and our future will be studying us in textbooks much like we study Ancient Rome.