This study examines the current and future uses of the Internet. The study proceeded by obtaining a sample group of eight volunteers drawn from the four class levels of a rural midwestern university. A group interview was then conducted with questions asked about the interviewees’ current and future uses of the Internet. These questions were developed using a uses and gratifications perspective. The transcripts of the study were then analyzed and coded into five general use categories. The contents of these five categories have provided an explanation of the sample’s current uses and possible future uses of the Internet.

The emergence of the Internet as a widely adopted form of mass communication continues to grow by leaps and bounds. The increase in online access by all kinds of Americans highlights the fact that the Internet population looks more and more like the overall population of the United States (Pew Internet 2001). Between May of 2000 and December 2000, adults with access to the Internet increased from 88 million to 104 million (Pew Internet 2001). Not only are the numbers of those with access increasing, but also is the amount and type

E. “Please think of any ways that ______(previously mentioned task) could be improved upon? Examples of improvement are making the task more useful to your life or more user-friendly. (if applicable) If you do not utilize this task, please explain how it could be changed so that you would use it.”

Some topics in this essay:
Bakardjieva Smith, Newhagen Rafaeli, McClain Hall, Internet” Allow, Papacharissi Rubin, Internet Please, GUIDE Preliminaries, Internet Volunteers, Lunt Livingstone, MALE FEMALE, allow interviewees, interviewees respond, future internet, allow interviewees respond, gratifications perspective, pew internet, et al, current future internet, current future, interviewees respond “please, internet” allow interviewees, frey et, respond “please, internet” allow, frey et al,