New research from the Pew Internet & American Life Project confirms that the internet has become a crucial source of information at major moments and milestones in our lives:
Our surveys show that 45% of internet users, or about 60 million Americans, say that the internet helped them make big decisions or negotiate their way through major episodes in their lives in the previous two years.
While this new research doesn’t even use the phrase “search engine,” the implication is pretty clear that people are searching to find this critical information. And remarkably, just 5% said the information found was misleading, which in the inimitable words of Good Morning Silicon Valley blogger John Paczkowski, “is either an encouraging sign of search effectiveness or a worrisome warning about credulity.”
More on the Internets Growing Role in Lifes Major Moments is available as a summary or full pdf report.