America’s “Always On” Dynamics

It’s natural to assume that these days, pretty much all Americans go online regularly. And indeed, that is the case. According to a survey of ~2,000 Americans age 18 and older conducted recently by the Pew Research Center, more than three in four respondents (~77%) reported that they go online at least once each day.

Compare that to the far smaller cohort of people who don’t use the Internet at all, which is only around 10%.

But even more interesting perhaps is another finding from the Pew survey: More than one in four Americans (~26%) report that they are online “almost constantly”.

That proportion is up from one in five just a couple years ago.

Even for people who go online but don’t use a mobile device, nearly 55% report that they go online at least daily, although just 5% of them report being online continually.

Looking further into the Pew findings, the “always on” population is skewed younger … better educated … ethnically diverse … and with higher incomes:

Gender

Men: ~25%
Women: ~27%

Age

18-29: ~39%
30-49: ~36%
50-64: ~17%
65 or older: ~8%

Education Level

High school degree or less: ~20%
Some college: ~28%
College degree or more: ~34%

Race

Non-white: ~33%
White: ~23%

Income Level

Less than $30K annual income: ~24%
$30-$75K annual income: ~25%
$75K or higher annual income: ~35%

Location

Living in urban areas: ~32%
Living in suburban areas: ~27%
Living in rural areas: ~15%

Regarding location, one explanation for the lower “always on” characteristics of rural dwellers may be that interconnectivity isn’t as simple and easy as it is in urban environments.

Or perhaps it’s because rural areas offer more attractive options for people to spend their time doing more fulfilling things than being tethered to the online world 24/7/365 …

Which is it? Your thoughts on this or the other dynamics uncovered by Pew are welcomed. You can also read more about the survey findings here.

One thought on “America’s “Always On” Dynamics”

Only twenty-five years ago, being blue-collar could be defined by “not reading a daily newspaper”. Today, there is a similar class divide, but it is expressed differently. Less educated people still don’t feel comfortable spelling and writing and reading full books, but they text to keep in touch.

Texting upends everything we mean by style and grammar — but does get an idea across. So you don’t ned to be schooled. Older, less educated people, may now go online to shop or send the occasional email but feel no need to be constantly in touch with peers through texting. The baffling truth is that a whole new generation has nearly become exhibitionistic about everything personal. If you are meeting me for lunch and you are 25, I know I will have to look at a picture of your half-eaten breakfast online before you show up!

Steven Kruger says:

May 6, 2018 at 5:22 pm

Only twenty-five years ago, being blue-collar could be defined by “not reading a daily newspaper”. Today, there is a similar class divide, but it is expressed differently. Less educated people still don’t feel comfortable spelling and writing and reading full books, but they text to keep in touch.

Texting upends everything we mean by style and grammar — but does get an idea across. So you don’t ned to be schooled. Older, less educated people, may now go online to shop or send the occasional email but feel no need to be constantly in touch with peers through texting. The baffling truth is that a whole new generation has nearly become exhibitionistic about everything personal. If you are meeting me for lunch and you are 25, I know I will have to look at a picture of your half-eaten breakfast online before you show up!