Web surfers just wanna have fun

2006-02-16 08:03

Washington - More and more Americans are whiling away the hours surfing the internet, just for fun, a new survey says.

The increase in those dabbling on the web with no particular purpose partly reflects the rise in always on broadband connections.

The survey by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that 40 million Americans surfed for fun on a typical day during December - up from 25 million people the previous time the topic was studied in November 2004.

"This tells us the internet is another place where people increasingly go to while away their time or just to hang out," said Deborah Fallows, Pew senior researcher.

"The online world is becoming a destination in and of itself - and that has potentially big consequences for the way people spend their time."

Pew researchers say people are now breaking their working day up for a quick web surf, or killing time by trawling through the web on a cellphone or mobile device.

The survey found that more men than women just while away time for fun online ? 34% of online men were surfing for fun on an average day in December compared with 26% of women.

The results came from a survey of 3 011 US adults conducted between November 29 and December 31 last year.

- AFP