Anti-Social? Don't Blame The Internet

Researchers at Pew Internet and American Life Project released the results of its recent study that was aimed at determining whether the use of the Internet and cell phones could lead to a reduction in the size and diversity of core discussion networks and social networks more broadly. What they found was, no, it is not.

The genesis of the study was research conducted three years ago which found that Americans' core discussion networks -- that group of people with whom an individual discusses important matters, had shrunk and become less diverse during the past 20 years. They suggested -- but did not directly explore -- the idea that the Internet and social networking was to blame for that isolation.

Three years later, the Pew researchers did directly explore that theory. "We find that the extent of social isolation has hardly changed since 1985, contrary to concerns that the prevalence of severe isolation has tripled since then," wrote the Pew researchers in the recent report.

In essence, although the 2006 report suggested that isolation became worse because of Internet use, the Pew study found that little is different from a generation ago. And, most people have at least one other person in whom they can confide. "Only 6 percent of the adult population has no one with whom they can discuss important matters or who they consider to be 'especially significant' in their [lives]," according to the researchers.

Another concern Pew addressed was that use of the Internet did not encourage diversity. However, the researchers found that social media discussion networks are likely to contain people from different backgrounds. The findings show that frequent Internet users, as well as those who maintain a blog, are much more likely to confide in someone who is of another race than those who don't maintain a blog. In addition, those who share photos online are more likely to discuss important matters with someone who is a member of another political party than those who don't share photos.

The study found that on average, the size of Americans' discussion networks is 12 percent larger among mobile phone users, and 9 percent larger for those who share photos online as well as those who use instant messaging, according to the Pew report.

So, if there are pockets of isolated people out there, the Internet is not to blame -- at least for right now.