Twitter use | Pew Internet & American Life Project:
Several demographic groups stand out as having high rates of Twitter usage relative to their peers:
African-Americans — Black internet users continue to use Twitter at high rates. More than one quarter of online African-Americans (28%) use Twitter, with 13% doing so on a typical day.
Young adults — One quarter (26%) of internet users ages 18-29 use Twitter, nearly double the rate for those ages 30-49. Among the youngest internet users (those ages 18-24), fully 31% are Twitter users.
Urban and suburban residents — Residents of urban and suburban areas are significantly more likely to use Twitter than their rural counterparts.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Digital Divides and Bridges: Technology Use Among Youth | Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project
Digital Divides and Bridges: Technology Use Among Youth | Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project:
In her talk, Amanda focused on bringing together data that highlights the demographic differences among groups of youth in their adoption, use, and experiences with technology and social media. While such data may have illustrated what was called a “digital divide” in the past, it now highlights a variety of digital differences among groups of youth.
In her talk, Amanda focused on bringing together data that highlights the demographic differences among groups of youth in their adoption, use, and experiences with technology and social media. While such data may have illustrated what was called a “digital divide” in the past, it now highlights a variety of digital differences among groups of youth.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Google Privacy Inquiries Get Little Cooperation - NYTimes.com
Google Privacy Inquiries Get Little Cooperation - NYTimes.com:
After months of negotiation, Johannes Caspar, a German data protection official, forced Google to show him exactly what its Street View cars had been collecting from potentially millions of his fellow citizens. Snippets of e-mails, photographs, passwords, chat messages, postings on Web sites and social networks — all sorts of private Internet communications — were casually scooped up as the specially equipped cars photographed the world’s streets.
After months of negotiation, Johannes Caspar, a German data protection official, forced Google to show him exactly what its Street View cars had been collecting from potentially millions of his fellow citizens. Snippets of e-mails, photographs, passwords, chat messages, postings on Web sites and social networks — all sorts of private Internet communications — were casually scooped up as the specially equipped cars photographed the world’s streets.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Big Data Troves Stay Forbidden to Social Scientists - NYTimes.com
Big Data Troves Stay Forbidden to Social Scientists - NYTimes.com:
It is “big data,” the vast sets of information gathered by researchers at companies like Facebook, Google and Microsoft from patterns of cellphone calls, text messages and Internet clicks by millions of users around the world. Companies often refuse to make such information public, sometimes for competitive reasons and sometimes to protect customers’ privacy. But to many scientists, the practice is an invitation to bad science, secrecy and even potential fraud.
The issue came to a boil last month at a scientific conference in Lyon, France, when three scientists from Google and the University of Cambridge declined to release data they had compiled for a paper on the popularity of YouTube videos in different countries.
The chairman of the conference panel — Bernardo A. Huberman, a physicist who directs the social computing group at HP Labs here — responded angrily. In the future, he said, the conference should not accept papers from authors who did not make their data public. He was greeted by applause from the audience.
Last year the National Science Foundation said that researchers who receive its funds would be “expected” to share data with other researchers.
Many scientists agree that this is as it should be.
“The obvious answer is that there needs to be more access to data,” said Alex Pentland, director of the Human Dynamics Laboratory at M.I.T. “That is beginning to happen as governments and industry realize that they need to better understand the promise and limits of big data; for instance, we will be announcing a huge, multicountry release of phone data soon.”
It is “big data,” the vast sets of information gathered by researchers at companies like Facebook, Google and Microsoft from patterns of cellphone calls, text messages and Internet clicks by millions of users around the world. Companies often refuse to make such information public, sometimes for competitive reasons and sometimes to protect customers’ privacy. But to many scientists, the practice is an invitation to bad science, secrecy and even potential fraud.
The issue came to a boil last month at a scientific conference in Lyon, France, when three scientists from Google and the University of Cambridge declined to release data they had compiled for a paper on the popularity of YouTube videos in different countries.
The chairman of the conference panel — Bernardo A. Huberman, a physicist who directs the social computing group at HP Labs here — responded angrily. In the future, he said, the conference should not accept papers from authors who did not make their data public. He was greeted by applause from the audience.
Last year the National Science Foundation said that researchers who receive its funds would be “expected” to share data with other researchers.
Many scientists agree that this is as it should be.
“The obvious answer is that there needs to be more access to data,” said Alex Pentland, director of the Human Dynamics Laboratory at M.I.T. “That is beginning to happen as governments and industry realize that they need to better understand the promise and limits of big data; for instance, we will be announcing a huge, multicountry release of phone data soon.”
Monday, May 21, 2012
Schools Go Into the 'Cloud' to Embrace the Popularity of Social Media - NYTimes.com
Schools Go Into the 'Cloud' to Embrace the Popularity of Social Media - NYTimes.com:
The newest catchphrase in online education is social learning.
Several start-up companies have begun offering cloud-based platforms that combine education and social media. Companies like Teamie, based in Singapore, provide software that lets teachers create, share and manage academic content, and also let students collaborate on assignments on platforms that are similar to the “walls” used on Facebook.
The newest catchphrase in online education is social learning.
Several start-up companies have begun offering cloud-based platforms that combine education and social media. Companies like Teamie, based in Singapore, provide software that lets teachers create, share and manage academic content, and also let students collaborate on assignments on platforms that are similar to the “walls” used on Facebook.
Friday, May 11, 2012
CNN transcript collection, 2000-2012
CNN transcript collection, 2000-2012:
Thanks to the Internet Archive and CNN, thirteen years of transcripts, about a gigabyte compressed, is available to download as one file.
For over a decade, CNN (Cable News Network) has been providing transcripts of shows, events and newscasts from its broadcasts. The archive has been maintained and the text transcripts have been dependably available at transcripts.cnn.com. This is a just-in-case grab of the years of transcripts for later study and historical research.
Thanks to the Internet Archive and CNN, thirteen years of transcripts, about a gigabyte compressed, is available to download as one file.
For over a decade, CNN (Cable News Network) has been providing transcripts of shows, events and newscasts from its broadcasts. The archive has been maintained and the text transcripts have been dependably available at transcripts.cnn.com. This is a just-in-case grab of the years of transcripts for later study and historical research.
Three-quarters of smartphone owners use location-based services | Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project
Three-quarters of smartphone owners use location-based services | Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project:
A new report finds that 74% of smartphone owners use their phone to get real-time location-based information, and 18% use a geosocial service to “check in” to certain locations or share their location with friends.
A new report finds that 74% of smartphone owners use their phone to get real-time location-based information, and 18% use a geosocial service to “check in” to certain locations or share their location with friends.
Monday, May 7, 2012
The rise of in-store mobile commerce | Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project
The rise of in-store mobile commerce | Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project:
More than half of adult cell phone owners used their cell phones while they were in a store during the 2011 holiday season to seek help with purchasing decisions. During a 30 day period before and after Christmas:
38% of cell owners used their phone to call a friend while they were in a store for advice about a purchase they were considering making
24% of cell owners used their phone to look up reviews of a product online while they were in a store
25% of adult cell owners used their phones to look up the price of a product online while they were in a store, to see if they could get a better price somewhere else
Taken together, just over half (52%) of all adult cell owners used their phone for at least one of these three reasons over the holiday shopping season and one third (33%) used their phone specifically for online information while inside a physical store—either product reviews or pricing information.
More than half of adult cell phone owners used their cell phones while they were in a store during the 2011 holiday season to seek help with purchasing decisions. During a 30 day period before and after Christmas:
38% of cell owners used their phone to call a friend while they were in a store for advice about a purchase they were considering making
24% of cell owners used their phone to look up reviews of a product online while they were in a store
25% of adult cell owners used their phones to look up the price of a product online while they were in a store, to see if they could get a better price somewhere else
Taken together, just over half (52%) of all adult cell owners used their phone for at least one of these three reasons over the holiday shopping season and one third (33%) used their phone specifically for online information while inside a physical store—either product reviews or pricing information.
Just-in-time Information through Mobile Connections | Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project
Just-in-time Information through Mobile Connections | Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project:
The rapid adoption of cell phones and, especially, the spread of internet-connected smartphones are changing people’s communications with others and their relationships with information. Users’ ability to access data immediately through apps and web browsers and through contact with their social networks is creating a new culture of real-time information seekers and problem solvers.
70% of all cell phone owners and 86% of smartphone owners have used their phones in the previous 30 days to perform at least one of the following activities:
Coordinate a meeting or get-together -- 41% of cell phone owners have done this in the past 30 days.
Solve an unexpected problem that they or someone else had encountered -- 35% have used their phones to do this in the past 30 days.
Decide whether to visit a business, such as a restaurant -- 30% have used their phone to do this in the past 30 days.
Find information to help settle an argument they were having -- 27% haveused their phone to get information for that reason in the past 30 days.
Look up a score of a sporting event -- 23% have used their phone to do that in the past 30 days.
Get up-to-the-minute traffic or public transit information to find the fastest way to get somewhere -- 20% have used their phone to get that kind of information in the past 30 days.
Get help in an emergency situation -- 19% have used their phone to do that in the past 30 days.
The rapid adoption of cell phones and, especially, the spread of internet-connected smartphones are changing people’s communications with others and their relationships with information. Users’ ability to access data immediately through apps and web browsers and through contact with their social networks is creating a new culture of real-time information seekers and problem solvers.
70% of all cell phone owners and 86% of smartphone owners have used their phones in the previous 30 days to perform at least one of the following activities:
Coordinate a meeting or get-together -- 41% of cell phone owners have done this in the past 30 days.
Solve an unexpected problem that they or someone else had encountered -- 35% have used their phones to do this in the past 30 days.
Decide whether to visit a business, such as a restaurant -- 30% have used their phone to do this in the past 30 days.
Find information to help settle an argument they were having -- 27% haveused their phone to get information for that reason in the past 30 days.
Look up a score of a sporting event -- 23% have used their phone to do that in the past 30 days.
Get up-to-the-minute traffic or public transit information to find the fastest way to get somewhere -- 20% have used their phone to get that kind of information in the past 30 days.
Get help in an emergency situation -- 19% have used their phone to do that in the past 30 days.
Creating a Language for the Web - NYTimes.com
Creating a Language for the Web - NYTimes.com:
It’s the vernacular of the Web.
Some of the words and phrases many of us use to describe our behavior on the Internet did not exist just a few years ago. Others have taken on new uses. In a recent update, for example, the Oxford English Dictionary altered its lexicon, including the coinages “LOL”(laugh out loud) and “OMG” (oh my God).
It’s the vernacular of the Web.
Some of the words and phrases many of us use to describe our behavior on the Internet did not exist just a few years ago. Others have taken on new uses. In a recent update, for example, the Oxford English Dictionary altered its lexicon, including the coinages “LOL”(laugh out loud) and “OMG” (oh my God).
Many Competing Paths on the Road to a Phone Wallet - NYTimes.com
Many Competing Paths on the Road to a Phone Wallet - NYTimes.com:
“This was a gift, to be honest, that was sitting under our Christmas tree that we didn’t anticipate,” he said, of the recent moves by the credit card companies and VeriFone.
“This was a gift, to be honest, that was sitting under our Christmas tree that we didn’t anticipate,” he said, of the recent moves by the credit card companies and VeriFone.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Teens & Online Video | Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project
Teens & Online Video | Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project:
In a survey of 799 teens conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project between April 19 and July 14, 2011, the teens were asked about a number of online behaviors. The results for video-oriented activities are reported here. Among the findings:
37% of internet users ages 12-17 participate in video chats with others using applications such as Skype, Googletalk or iChat. Girls are more likely than boys to have such chats.
27% of internet-using teens 12-17 record and upload video to the internet. One major difference between now and 2006 is that online girls are just as likely these days to upload video as online boys.
13% of internet-using teens stream video live to the internet for other people to watch.
Social media users are much more likely than those who do not use social media to engage in all three video behaviors studied.
In a survey of 799 teens conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project between April 19 and July 14, 2011, the teens were asked about a number of online behaviors. The results for video-oriented activities are reported here. Among the findings:
37% of internet users ages 12-17 participate in video chats with others using applications such as Skype, Googletalk or iChat. Girls are more likely than boys to have such chats.
27% of internet-using teens 12-17 record and upload video to the internet. One major difference between now and 2006 is that online girls are just as likely these days to upload video as online boys.
13% of internet-using teens stream video live to the internet for other people to watch.
Social media users are much more likely than those who do not use social media to engage in all three video behaviors studied.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
The science of civil war: What makes heroic strife | The Economist
The science of civil war: What makes heroic strife | The Economist:
Computer models that can predict the outbreak and spread of civil conflict are being developed
Computer models that can predict the outbreak and spread of civil conflict are being developed
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Engineer in Google’s Street View Is Identified - NYTimes.com
Engineer in Google’s Street View Is Identified - NYTimes.com:
At the center of the uproar over a Google project that scooped up personal data from potentially millions of unsuspecting people is the company software engineer who wrote the code.
Now a former state investigator involved in another inquiry into Street View has identified Engineer Doe. The former investigator said he was Marius Milner, a programmer with a background in telecommunications who is highly regarded in the field of Wi-Fi networking, essential to the project.
At the center of the uproar over a Google project that scooped up personal data from potentially millions of unsuspecting people is the company software engineer who wrote the code.
Now a former state investigator involved in another inquiry into Street View has identified Engineer Doe. The former investigator said he was Marius Milner, a programmer with a background in telecommunications who is highly regarded in the field of Wi-Fi networking, essential to the project.
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