the nine tribes of the internet

THE NINE TRIBES OF THE INTERNET

Lee Rainie – Director Pew Internet ProjectWashington Webmanagers Washington, D.C. June 10, 2009

New information ecosystem: Then and Now

Industrial Age

Info was:

Scarce

Expensive

Institutionally oriented

Designed for consumption

Information Age

Info is:

Abundant

Cheap

Personally oriented

Designed for participation

2000

46% of adults use internet

5% with broadband at home

50% own a cell phone

0% connect to internet wirelessly

<10% use “cloud”

= slow, stationary connections built around

my computer

The internet is the asteroid: Then and now

2008

>75% of adults use internet

>60% with broadband at home

85% own a cell phone

54% connect to internet wirelessly

>53% use “cloud”

= fast, mobile connections built around outside servers

and storage

June 10, 2009 4Nine tribes of the internet

Ecosystem changes

1.Volume of information grows

2.Variety of information increases

3.Velocity of information speeds up

4.The times and places to experience media enlarge

5.People’s vigilance for information expands AND contracts


Ecosystem changes

6.The immersive qualities of media are more compelling

7.Relevance of information improves8.The number of information “voices”

explodes – and becomes more findable

9.Voting and ventilating are enabled10.Social networks are more vivid


Behold Homo Connectus

A different species with a different sense of … • Expectation about access to info, availability of info,

and “findability” of info • Time use • Place, distance, presence (more and less tied

together)• The possibilities of work, learning, and play• Personal efficacy and personal effort• The rewards and challenges of networking for social,

economic, political, and cultural purposes


A general new pattern of communication and influence – the 4 As

• attention

• acquisition

• assessment

• action


How do you….

• get his/her attention?

– leverage your traditional platforms

– offer alerts, updates, feeds

– be available in relevant places

– find pathways through his/her social network


How do you….

• help him/her acquire information?– be findable in a “long tail” world– pursue new distribution methods– offer “link love” for selfish

reasons – you want joint referrals– participate in conversations

about your work


How do you….

• help him/her assess information?– honor the ethics of your kind of

data and culture– be transparent, link-friendly, and

archive everything– aggregate the best related work– when you make mistakes seek

forgiveness


How do you….

• assist him/her act on information?– offer opportunities for feedback– offer opportunities for remixing

and mash-ups– offer opportunities for community

building– be open to the wisdom of crowds


New tech-user typology

Overall picture39% are motivated by

mobility

5 groups that are being drawn into deeper use thanks to mobile connections

Wireless connections prompt them to use the internet more and feel better and better about its role in their lives

Self expression and networking matters to them, but some have mixed feelings

61% are tied to stationary media

5 groups that do not feel the pull of mobility – or anything else – drawing them deeper in the digital world

Some have lots of technology, but it is relatively peripheral in their lives.

They have plateaued in internet use and enthusiasm -- or are on the outskirts of digital life


Motivated by mobility – Group 1Digital collaborators (8% of population)

Tech lifestyle attributes

With the most tech assets, Digital Collaborators use them to work with and share their creations with others.

The lead the pack in every dimension of our analysis: assets, actions, attitudes towards technology.

Always-on broadband and always-present cell connection is key to their lives.

These veteran users are enthusiastic about how ICTs help them connect with others and confident in how to manage digital devices and information.



Demographics

• Male: 56%• Median age: 39• Race: Diverse• Education: 61% college +• Household income: 53% make > $75K• Employment status: 70% employed FT• Community type: 52% suburb; 36% urb.• Funky facts: 12 years online

73% married

51% parents minor children



How to be a node in their network

• Be a place for them to jack into the grid

• Give them the tools to collaborate and share

• Enlist their help in giving you coaching and feedback on the experiments with technology you want to try


Motivated by mobility – Group 2Ambivalent networkers (7% of population)


Ambivalent Networkers have folded mobile devices into how they run their social lives, whether though texting or social networking tools online.

They tie for first or take second in all assets and actions categories.

They also rely on ICTs for entertainment. But they also express worries about

connectivity; and some find that mobile devices are intrusive.

Many think it is good to take a break from online use.

Their keyword about technology might be “obligation” – can’t afford to be off the grid, even though they want to be.



Demographics

• Male: 60%• Median age: 29 (youngest)• Race: Little more minority than DigCollab.• Education: 23% college +• Household income: 44% make < $50K• Employment status: 64% employed FT• Community type: 44% suburb; 45% urb.• Funky facts: 30% are students

34% are NOT email users

83% are cell texters




• Be a sanctuary – and a place where they have permission to go offline

• Think about ways to reach them through games -- 54% of them own video game console

• Help them figure out the new etiquette of online social networking -- 54% have SNS profile

• Help them navigate information overload


Motivated by mobility – Group 3Media movers (7% of population)


Media Movers have a wide range of online and mobile habits, and they are bound to find or create an information nugget, such as a digital photo, and pass it on.

These social exchanges are central to this group’s use of ICTs – rather than work-related uses.

Cyberspace, as a path to personal productivity or an outlet for creativity, is less important.

They are not into online content creation the way Digital Collaborators are, yet they are big-time sharers.



Demographics• Male: 56%• Median age: 34 (second youngest)• Race: Diverse• Education: 32% college+ (average)• Household income: 56% make > $50K• Employment status: 70% employed FT• Community type: 55% suburb; 30% urb.• Funky facts: 31% record video on cell

87% own dig. camera

90% online health seekers




• Help them find outlets for sharing their creations – maybe simple mashup tools

• Help them navigate to material that they can pass along to others

• They are socializers, so social networking is a “making connections” experience for them and your material is social currency for them


Motivated by mobility – Group 4Roving nodes (9% of population)


Roving Nodes are active managers of their social and work lives using their mobile device.

They get the most out of basic applications with their assets – such as email or texting – and find them great for arranging the logistics of their lives and enhancing personal productivity.

They love email and texting, but are too busy to blog or create other content.

Think “working Little League mother”, or caregiver for aging parent when you think of Roving Nodes



Demographics• Female: 56%• Median age: 39• Race: Diverse > Latino• Education: 44% college+ (2nd highest)• Household income: 52% make > $50K• Employment status: 68% employed FT• Community type: 48% suburb; 39% urb.• Funky facts: 100% have cell phones

heavy internet use at home and work – hard to give up

say tech gives them control




• Help them be efficient generally – and especially as parents

• Transactions online help – as do “push” functions like alerts, reminders

• Give them access to technology so they can check in and check up on things

• Cloud functions are particularly useful to them


Motivated by mobility – Group 5Mobile newbies (8% of population)


This group rates low on tech assets, but its members really like their cell phones.

Mobile Newbies, many of whom acquired a cell in the past year, like how the device helps them be more available to others.

The act of getting a cell phone was like a conversion experience for them in the way it opened up the world.

They would be hard pressed to give up the cell phone. And they express general support for the role technology can play in people’s lives even though most do NOT use the internet.



Demographics• Female: 55%• Median age: 50 (oldest MBM group)• Race: A bit weighted to minorities• Education: 72% HS or less• Household income: 45% make <$40K• Employment status: 53% employed FT• Community type: 24% rural• Funky facts: just 39%=internet users

46% use computersnone create internet content

love new connectedness




• Offer “how-to” material, coaching, and mentoring

• Offer technology access and then offer tech support

• Offer pathways to the wonders of the web. They are just getting their feet wet and do not know much about the useful and fun stuff they can find online


Stationary media majority – Group 1Desktop veterans (13% of population)


This group of older, veteran online users is content to use a high-speed connection and a desktop computer to explore the internet and stay in touch with friends.

They are happy to be connected with they are stationary and sitting. So, they place their cell phone and mobile applications in the background.

For them, online life hit its zenith about 3-5 years ago when they first got broadband connections.

And their 2004 cell phone still serves its primary purpose for them – making phone calls.



Demographics• Male: 55%• Median age: 46• Race: Skews white• Education: 41% college+ (3rd highest)• Household income: 32% make >$75K• Employment status: 56% employed FT• Community type: 52% sub.; 30% urb.• Funky facts: just 77% have cells

int. user 10.5 years heavy int. users at home

and work average content creators




• Offer them access to good computers with good connections

• They are self sufficient and don’t need a lot of hand holding on search and browsing – the kind of people who will use self-serve transactions

• May want help/tutorials with content creation (social media) and new applications


Stationary media majority – Group 2Drifting surfers (14% of population)


Many have the requisite tech assets, such as broadband or a cell phone, but Drifting Surfers are infrequent online users.

They also are not big fans of mobile connectivity.

When they use technology, it is for basic information gathering.

It wouldn’t bother the typical Drifting Surfer to give up the internet or cell phone.

Likely to be secondary user of technology in household.



Demographics• Female: 56%• Median age: 42• Race: Diverse• Education: 33% college+; 33% HS• Household income: 46% make >$50K• Employment status: 66% employed FT• Community type: 46% sub.; 35% urb.• Funky facts: 85% have home broadbd

86% have cells below aver. tech user tech doesn’t help much

46%=“good to take break”




• Don’t force-feed them tech applications

• Your traditional services are what most appeals to them about you

• Tech support might be appealing – they report problems with gadgetry that prompts them to give up hope


Stationary media majority – Group 3Information encumbered (10% of population)


Most people in this group suffer from information overload and think taking time off from the internet is a good thing.

Their attitudes about the role of technology in the world have worsened since 2006 and they see no great benefits from technology in their personal lives.

The Information Encumbered are firmly rooted in old media to get information and communicate.



Demographics• Male: 67% (highest)• Median age: 53• Race: Skews white• Education: 33% college+; 37% HS• Household income: 42% make <$40K• Employment status: 40% employed FT• Community type: 48% urb; 20% rural• Funky facts: 99% are int. users

75% are cell users only 52% online typ. day

52% feel overloaded

62% need help new gad.




• Sympathize that the world is changing rapidly

• Don’t force technology and tech solutions on them

• Be their filters for information and navigators to information

• They will appreciate classic reference and info retrieval methods

• Be a referral service for them in a stressful economy


Stationary media majority – Group 4Tech indifferent (10% of population)


Members of this group are not heavy internet users.

Although most have cell phones, they don’t like their intrusiveness.

The Indifferent could easily do without modern gadgets and services. They are too much trouble with too little payoff.



Demographics• Female: 55% • Median age: 59 (2nd oldest)• Race: Diverse (little higher Af-Am)• Education: 73% HS or less• Household income: 59% make <$50K• Employment status: 34% employed FT• Community type: 26% rural• Funky facts: just 39% are int. users

46% computer users but 86% are cell users

least likely users of everything




• They see no benefits in technology because it is not relevant to their lives – at home or work

• Lots of them say they are discouraged and confused when technology doesn’t work

• Gentle tutorials might ease their views – internet 101

• Public access – libraries and govt offices -- might be their only lifeline to digital age, but you have to make case technology can help


Stationary media majority – Group 5Off the net (14% of population)


Members of this group have neither cell phones nor online access, and tend to be older and low-income.

Some have experience with ICTs. They used to have online access and as many as one in five used to have a cell phone.

But it broke, or didn’t provide much enhancement to their worlds, so they did not return to using the technology.



Demographics• Female: 57% (highest)• Median age: 67 (oldest)• Race: Skews to minorities• Education: 80% HS or less• Household income: 38% make <$20K• Employment status: 17% employed FT• Community type: 30% rural• Funky facts: just 16% have desktop or

laptop they see no lifestyle

improvements with technology




• Traditional services are most essential and useful to them

• Community activities and socializing opportunities are probably their biggest needs from local institutions

• Computer 101 and Internet 101 courses might draw some of them to your library


Final action item: Think/act like journalists

• Can be your own story teller – and must be your own news hub

• Embrace new distribution platforms and strategies (e.g. aggregation, curation)

• Be ready for your close up

• Behave like a friend and be a node in social networks


Thank you!

Lee Rainie

Director

Pew Internet & American Life Project

1615 L Street NW

Suite 700

Washington, DC 20036

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: http://twitter.com/lrainie

202-419-4500

the nine tribes of the internet

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