Forwarded, for information, from the interoperability jiscmail list.
Some useful statistics here for those with an interest in web-based
projects. Links to the poll results online are at the end.
Edmund Lee
English Heritage
-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Miller [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 03 February 2005 15:01
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Press Release: MORI survey uncovers major new trends in web use
in the UK
Press Release
MORI survey uncovers major new trends in web use in the UK
Thursday 3 February 2005 - A new MORI survey published today is the
first to take a wide-ranging look at the issues of reliability of
information found on the Internet, and the extent to which users feel
they can trust the information they find there. The reputation of an
organisation and the trustworthiness of the content of websites are
important factors in people's attitudes, the survey found. Information
provided via the websites of more established organisations such as
museums, libraries and archives are most likely to gain a great deal or
fair amount of trust from people. This is particularly the case in
comparison to more commercial websites such as utility companies, travel
agencies and Internet-only retail companies.
Among the other findings uncovered by the survey, commissioned by the
Common Information Environment (CIE) group, were the following:
* Most of the population is aware of the Internet to some degree,
with just under half of all respondents (49%) saying they know at least
a fair amount about it
* 92% of Internet users say that reliability of content is an
important factor, including 63% saying it is very important
* Home is the place from which people most commonly access the
Internet, with 80% of current users saying that they go online most
often from there
* 53% of all respondents go online at least once a week, including
30% who do so every day
* 3% of users access the Internet via mobile phones or GPRS as
their preferred means of access.
* Over half of all current users (54%) of the Web use it as their
preferred information source. In addition, some 59% of all those
surveyed are confident about Internet use, and three quarters of
respondents say that they find it easy to get access to the Internet.
In addition,
* With the potential of the Internet as a learning tool, the
survey also reveals the public's attitudes to lifelong learning.
Encouragingly, the overwhelming majority of people surveyed agree that
it is important for adults to continue to learn as they get older (94%).
Importantly most see a role for the Internet in learning new things (83%
class the Internet as an important learning tool). 59% of those who have
ever used the Internet search for specific information in connection
with a hobby or interest, while 40% have done so in connection with
their own education, and 25% in connection with their own children's
learning.
The survey also points to a growing "digital divide", a gulf between
different groups of users based on gender, employment, class and
educational attainment. Men, people aged 16-54, who work, come from
social classes ABC1, and have a formal educational qualification are
more likely to be Internet users, the survey finds, than women, people
aged 55+, those not in work, from social classes C2DE, and people who do
not have a formal educational qualification.
At the same time, findings from the survey suggest that use of the
Internet may be prone to lapsing as people move from education and
training (where learning providers supply the means of access for those
without ready access elsewhere) into work. Once again, the implications
for the wider agendas of lifelong learning, e-Government and active
citizenship would appear to require concerted political action.
Dr Paul Miller, Director of the CIE, welcomed the findings, saying: "The
Common Information Environment is all about public sector organisations
working together in order to make the online experience more
educational, entertaining and enriching than it is currently.
Individually, CIE members each serve large parts of the population.
Together, their audience is every man, woman and child in the UK. The
commissioning of this research is an excellent example of that
cooperation, and its results clearly demonstrate the high regard in
which organisations of the type represented by CIE members are held by
the public, and the importance that they place in being able to access
authoritative, high quality content via the Internet."
Chris Batt, Chief Executive of MLA and the Chair of the CIE, said: "This
new study is a goldmine of information on users' (and non-users')
perceptions of the Internet and the resources and services it offers.
Anyone interested in how this new medium is changing our daily lives
will want to see these data, and the report provides the Common
Information Environment partners with vital new insights that will
direct and focus our future work programmes."
The results are highly encouraging for the Common Information
Environment group, a coalition of public sector information
organisations, whose task it is to help create a cross-sectoral
partnership to realise the full potential of the Internet for all UK
citizens. These organisations include those funding this research; the
British Library, DfES (Department for Education & Skills), JISC (Joint
Information Systems Committee), MLA (Museums, Libraries & Archives
Council), and SLIC (Scottish Library & Information Council). Content of
the type provided by these organisations is of precisely the kind that
respondents to the survey recognise as trustworthy, reliable and of high
quality. The challenge now, the survey suggests, is for Government to
actively tackle people's misconceptions and a real skills gap in certain
parts of the population, whilst capitalising upon a clear preference for
trusted knowledge resources.
- end -
Notes to Editors:
For the results of the MORI survey please go to
www.common-info.org.uk/audienceresearch.shtml.
A Summary of Findings is available at
www.common-info.org.uk/mori-findings.shtml, and some Implications are
highlighted for us by MORI at
www.common-info.org.uk/mori-implications.shtml.
The full report is available to download from
www.common-info.org.uk/docs/mori-report.pdf.
For press enquiries please contact:
Philip Pothen at JISC on 020 7848 2935, email [log in to unmask]
Fiona Cameron at MLA on 020 7273 1459, email [log in to unmask];
The Common Information Environment (CIE) is a collaborative activity
involving a growing number of public sector bodies across the United
Kingdom. Members currently include Becta, the British Library, the
Cabinet Office's e-Government Unit, Culture Online, the Department for
Education & Skills (DfES), English Heritage, the e-Science Core
Programme, the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC), the Museums,
Libraries and Archives Council (MLA), The National Archives, the
National Health Service's National Electronic Library for Health (NeLH),
the Scottish Library & Information Council (SLIC) and UKOLN.
Contact: Dr Paul Miller - Director, Common Information Environment on
(07779) 669542 or [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
A key focus for CIE activities is the shared recognition that the
information held in trust by various organisations should be visible,
useful, meaningful and reusable for the widest range of potential
beneficiaries.
The CIE web site is at www.common-info.org.uk/
<http://www.common-info.org.uk/> .
The MORI Social Research Institute carried out 2,004 interviews with
members of the UK general public aged 16+, face-to-face, in-home between
13 October and 18 November 2004. This included 1,393 respondents who
have ever used the web (1,265 current and 128 lapsed users) and 585 who
have never used it.
At the analysis stage, data were weighted by age and social class to the
overall population of the UK using 2001 Census data.
--
Dr Paul Miller
Director, Common Information Environment
e: [log in to unmask] m: +44 (7779) 669542
w: www.common-info.org.uk/ aim/ iChat/ Yahoo!: ciedirector
Participate in the "CIE Thoughts" Blog at
www.common-info.org.uk/thoughts/
Keep current with the "CIE News" Blog at www.common-info.org.uk/news/
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