IP: Net survey highlighted in NYT derided as junk science

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

> Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2000 09:34:50 -0500
> From: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>
>
>
> We had our own take on it:
>
> http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,34387,00.html
>   An exhaustive survey conducted by the esteemed Stanford
>   University reveals that people who spend time on the Net spend
>   less time with humans. Jon Rochmis found an equally
>   astonishing, if not actual, study.
>
>
> > From: Adam Powell <apowell () freedomforum org>
> > To: "'declan () well com'" <declan () well com>
> > Subject: Net survey derided as junk science
> > Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2000 09:18:53 -0500
> >
> > Just because it's on p.1 of the NY Times doesn't mean it's true. I'm glad I
> > wrote it the way I did (see lead item at
> > http://www.freedomforum.org/press/presswatch.asp)
> >
> > FEBRUARY 17, 05:11 EST
> >
> >  Internet Survey Criticized
> >
> >  By RON HARRIS
> >  Associated Press Writer
> >
> >  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A new study which shows increased Internet use causes
> >  decreased face-to-face social interaction was roundly criticized by
> > detractors as
> >  non-science.
> >
> >  ``Presenting it as a scientific study is a bit of a reach. It's preliminary
> > work and it
> >  doesn't tell us much,'' said Howard Fienberg, a research analyst with the
> > Statistical
> >  Assessment Service in Washington, D.C.
> >
> >  The study was released Wednesday by researchers at the Institute for the
> >  Quantitative Study of Society.
> >
> >  It surveyed 4,113 American adults in 2,689 households. Respondents were
> >  provided with free Internet access and WebTV connections to facilitate the
> > survey.
> >
> >  The study found that too much time on the Internet makes some people
> > reclusive
> >  and less likely to interact with people face to face.
>
> ...
>
> >  Fienberg suggested a more random selection of survey respondents studied
> > over
> >  a longer period of time would produce more accurate indicators of Internet
> > use
> >  and social effects.
> >
> >  The study prompted author and Internet use expert Jakob Nielsen to question
> > its
> >  designers' definitions of human contact.
> >
> >  Nielsen said the definition should include Internet-based environments such
> > as chat
> >  rooms, message boards and e-mail. Nielsen said concepts of contact used in
> > the
>
> ...
>
>
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