Cultures of the InternetThe Internet in Britain 2013

Bill DuttonProfessor of Internet Studies

Oxford Internet InstituteUniversity of Oxford and Balliol College

Part 1 of an OII Brown Bag Seminar at the OII, 22 January 2014.

• 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013• Cross-sectional Surveys versus Panels• Multi-Stage Probability Sample • England, Scotland & Wales • Respondents: 14 years and older• Face-to-face Interviews, High Response Rates• Sponsorship for 2013 from the Nominet Trust, Ofcom,

UK Research Councils, dot.rural• Component of World Internet Project (WIP)

Oxford Internet Surveys

Highlights of OxIS 2013 Report

Evolving Conceptions of Cultures

An Empirical Approach to Cultures

• 14 items from OxIS focused on attitudes and beliefs about the Internet

• Yielding four factors:– Enjoyable escape (helps pass time, enjoyable escape, don’t

feel lonely, enjoy being online)– Instrumental efficiency (efficient, easier, saves time)– Problem-generator (personal information, frustrating,

immoral material, takes too much time)– Social facilitator (find info about me, keep in touch, easier

to meet people) • Group together in five clusters that were a good fit and

interpretable (Media Lives Project at Ofcom)

Five Cultures

Emersives (12%)

Techno-Pragmatists (17%)

Cyber-Savvy (19%) – ‘Streetwise’

Cyber-Moderates (37%)

Adigitals (14%)

86

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79

21

75

25

69

31

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20

40

60

80

100

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e-Mersed Pragmatists Cyber-savvy Moderates Adigital OxIS current users: 2013 N=2,083

Figure 6: Next Generation Users by Internet CulturesNext generation users First generation users

Directions for Further Development

OII StudentFeedback- Anon.