7/22: Nearly One in Five Internet Users Regret Online Behavior
July 22, 2011 by Marist Poll
Filed under Cyber Corner, Featured, Science & Tech, Tech Box
Former Congressman Anthony Weiner’s sexting scandal sent shock waves throughout the nation. But, can American Internet users relate to Mr. Weiner’s questionable online behavior?
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Click Here for Complete July 22, 2011 USA Marist Poll Release and Tables
Although 82% of Internet users nationally say they have never sent or said anything over the Internet that they regret, a notable 18% have.
Younger Internet users are more likely than older ones to have engaged in regrettable online actions. 24% of Internet users younger than 45 years old compared with 13% of those 45 and older report this to be the case. And, men who use the Internet — 21% — are slightly more likely than female Internet users — 15% — to have sent or said something online they wish they could take back.
In general, what kind of impact does social media like Facebook have on relationships? Half of Internet users nationwide — 50% — think social media does more harm than good. About one-third — 33% — report social media does more good than harm, and 17% are unsure. Similar proportions of adults overall share these views. 51% of residents think social media does more harm than good while nearly three in ten adults — 29% — think it has a positive impact. 20% are unsure.
Table: Personal Online Practices
Table: Social Media: More Good Than Harm or More Harm Than Good?
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There is not a single soul who has been on line ,that has not at least once been tempted to make a bad comment, peep at a porn sight or pretended to be who they were not. Go on ask yourself,did you send the odd phantom e mail to work mates,post a picture of what happened at the Christmas party. If I see one more photocopy of a bottom!
So does it really matter? I mean surveys like this. I am glad that someone is earning their daily bread going out and asking people, but what possible use is knowing that 50 percent of people,taken from whatever sample number in whatever state,think that the internet does more harm than good.
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The reality is that a person can hardly argue that he has not said or done anything to repent on the internet because this is a medium that enables precisely this type of behavior by not directly interact with other people with whom you communicate.
In other words, internet gives people the freedom to express themselves freely and unfettered, which for many is difficult to do in real life.