The Internet and Innovation for Society:Key Concepts and Challenges

William H. Dutton

Oxford Internet Institute (OII) University of Oxford

www.ox.ac.uk

Presentation for Future Technology and Society Workshop for the EU Commission, Albert Borschette Conference Center, Rue Froissart, Buruxelles, 19 November 2010.

Key Concepts and Challenges

• Cascading Reinvention of the Internet• Plateau in Diffusion: Digital Divides and Choices• Tipping Point in Use and Trust in an Experience Technology (Cohorts and Age)• Reconfiguring Access

• Networked Individuals and Institutions• Reconfiguring Networks of Collaboration,

Friendship, Marriage, … Society• Political Accountability: The Fifth Estate

• Regulatory Imperatives and Challenges

Reinventing the Internet:

• Broadband, and Superfast, Next Generation Access

• Search – Google; and Linked Data Initiatives

• Video – YouTube

• Social Networking Platforms – Facebook

• Blogging, Micro-blogging – Twitter

Reinventing Mobile and the Mobile Internet:

• Texting

• Internet Access – Mobile Apps – iPhone, iPad, iTV…

Cascading Reinvention of the Internet

Creativity and Production Online (QC10 and QC31)

Current users. OxIS 2005: N=1,309; OxIS 2007: N=1,578; OxIS 2009: N=1,401Note. Social networking question changed in 2009.

4

Use of Features on Mobile Phones (QH13)

Mobile phone users. OxIS 2005: N=1,857; OxIS 2007: N=2,070; OxIS 2009: N=1,789

The Worldwide Diffusion of the Internet: Global and Local Divides

A Plateau? Internet Use by Individuals In Britain

OxIS 2003: N=2,029, OxIS 2005: N=2,185; OxIS 2007: N=2,350; OxIS 2009: N=2,013

9

Use by Income (QH14 by SC3)

OxIS 2005: N=2,185; OxIS 2007: N=2,350; OxIS 2009: N=2,013.Note: The income scale changed in 2009.

10

Use by Age (QH14 by QD1)

OxIS 2005: N=2,185; OxIS 2007: N=2,350; OxIS 2009: N=2,013

Trust in an Experience Technology: Reliability of Information by Internet Users and Non-Users 2009

OxIS 2009: N=2,013Note. The scale changed from a 10 point scale in 2007 to a 5 point scale in 2009.

11

12

Attitudes towards Technologies by Lifestage

OxIS 2009: N=2,013.

Tipping Point for the Centrality of the Internet over Time

OxIS 2003: N=2,029; OxIS 2005: N=2,185; OxIS 2007 N=2,350. OxIS 2009: N=2,013

Average Importance of Media for Information by Internet Users and Non-Users (QA2 by QH14)

OxIS 2009: N=2,013 14

Looking for Information on Different Media (QA1)

OxIS 2009: N=2,013

16

Ways to Look for Information Online (QC25)

Current users. OxIS 2005: N=1,309; OxIS 2007: N=1,578; OxIS 2009: N=1,401Note. Question changed in 2007. 17

Networked Institutions, such as in e-Health

Networked Individuals of the Fifth Estate:

going to the Internet for health and medical information

networking physicians via Sermo

Networked Institutions v Networked Individuals of the Fifth Estate

Sermo

Press in the 18th Century -- the ‘Fourth Estate’

Internet in the 21st -- enabling a Fifth Estate

Enabling people to network with other individuals and with information, services and technical resources in ways that support social accountability in business and industry, government, politics, and the media.

The Fourth and Fifth Estates

Centrality of the Internet, Trust in Government and Attitudes toward Internet Regulation over Time

OxIS 2003: N=2,029; OxIS 2005: N=2,185; OxIS 2007 N=2,350. OxIS 2009: N=2,013

Key Concepts and Challenges

• Cascading Reinvention of the Internet• Plateau in Diffusion: Digital Divides and Choices• Tipping Point in Use and Trust in an Experience Technology (Cohorts and Age)• Reconfiguring Access

• Networked Individuals and Institutions• Reconfiguring Networks of Collaboration,

Friendship, Marriage, … Society• Political Accountability: The Fifth Estate

• Regulatory Imperatives and Challenges

• Oxford Internet Surveys (OxIS)• World Internet Project (WIP)• Global Internet Values Project (GIV) with INSEAD, World Economic

Forum and ComScore• A variety of European Projects, including:

• Towards a Future Internet: Interrelation between Technological, Social and Economic Trends, European Commission’s DG Information Society and Media

• Socio-Economics Service for European Research Projects (SESERV), 7th Framework Programme

• Dissemination and Networks of Knowledge in the Atlantic Area (KNETWORKS), European Regional Development Fund, EC

• Media Literacy: Testing and refining criteria to assess media literacy levels in all Member States, SMART

Drawing on Empirical Research

The Internet and Innovation for Society:Key Concepts and Challenges

William H. Dutton

Oxford Internet Institute (OII) University of Oxford

www.ox.ac.uk

Presentation for Future Technology and Society Workshop for the EU Commission, Albert Borschette Conference Center, Rue Froissart, Buruxelles, 19 November 2010.