More on the WebWatch Survey

Yesterday, I shared with you some of the findings of a recently completed survey by Consumer Reports WebWatch that indicated many Internet users are spending less time on the net because of all the security threats. Today, I want to tell you about some of the other interesting results in this 1,500-person survey.

Among the other findings of the study was indication that Americans are increasingly turning to the Web to get their news, with the percentage of adults reporting that they get the bulk their coverage from the Internet doubling to 11 percent, compared to only 5 percent in 2002. Some 69 percent of those surveyed said that sites that maintain a clear distinction between advertising and news content are more reliable, with 31 percent agreeing that it is very important for news sites to reveal the financial relationships they maintain with other businesses.

While Weblogs, or blogs, have caused a major upheaval in the news business as companies look at ways to keep up with citizen reporters, those surveyed by WebWatch were clearly less enthralled with the movement, with 57 percent distrusting blog-generated news, 21 percent saying that blogs are usually incorrect, and only 12 percent expressing a belief that the online journals are accurate most of the time. Roughly 27 percent of those interviewed said they had visited a blog in the past several months.

(Personally, I distrust most citizen-based news blogs as they can basically say anything they want and pass it off as fact. Most blogs should be clearly identified as opinions based on facts such as this blog.)

While 48 percent of respondents said that knowing exactly who owns a Web site is an important factor in their usage, and 76 percent said it was vital to be able to identify where the information on a site is coming from.

Regarding pictures or images, many Americans are also increasingly skeptical regarding images they find on the Web, with 47 percent reporting that they have viewed what they believed to be manipulated pictures online. Despite that trend, 67 percent said they trust online news sites to use genuine photographs.

In relation to children's Web usage, opinions remain largely negative, with 86 percent of those surveyed identifying adults' continued pursuit of kids in chat rooms as a serious problem on the Internet today, with 61 percent labeling violent online games as a major issue. Some 82 percent believe it is too easy for minors to view sexually explicit content.

Among the few bright spots revealed by the research was growing trust in auction and financial services sites, despite the growth of online phishing schemes, which have largely spoofed such pages in the name of committing identity theft.

WebWatch also reported that 61 percent of its respondents feel auction sites are safe, with 68 percent confident in their use of online banking sites, and 55 percent comfortable enough to use online bill payment systems.

What do you think of this survey? I found it very interesting, to say the least.