Emails That Matter: Changing Patterns of Internet Use Over a Year's Time

(Data Available) The social impact of the Internet has been a topic of ongoing debate, with some arguing that it may contribute to feelings of social isolation and others arguing that the Internet enhances social connectivity. Using a panel of Internet users asked the same questions in 2000 and 2001, this article documents that serious emailing—emails sharing worries with or seeking advice from family and friends—increased sharply over that year. The findings held for both early and late adopters of the Internet, thus changing the norms among all Internet users and making it acceptable to use cyberspace to conduct serious conversations. The findings also suggest an Internet “network effect ” as more people go online, in that the overall value of the online medium appears to be increasing. This is evidenced not only by the growth in serious emailing, but in online transactions and by the use of the Internet in the workplace. Finally, the Internet’s novelty effect fades over time, as users report a decline in the frequency of emailing and are less likely to herald the Internet’s socially connective effects