Box 7.1 Experiences on the Internet and with Computers The following information was obtained in a survey of 500 teenagers aged 12 to 17 and conducted by Family PC magazine in the fall of 2000. Usage 80 percent spend 1 to 5 hours a week on e-mail. 75 percent spend 1 to 5 hours a week online doing homework and research. 66 percent spend 1 to 5 hours a week Web surfing. 31 percent have a computer in their room. The teenagers surveyed has been online for an average of 3.7 years. Life with a Computer at Home 63 percent said they had to compete with parents or siblings for computer time. 75 percent said families had a computer before they turned 12. 9 percent said the computer came home before they were born. Interacting with People Online 38 percent preferred telephone contact to stay in touch with friends, while 33 percent preferred online mechanisms. 83 percent used e-mail to stay in touch with distant friends and relatives. 84 percent used instant messaging and e-mail to communicate with other people for any purpose. 44 percent use chat rooms, but only 10 percent use chat rooms regularly. 32 percent thought it was easier to say personal things online vs. face-to-face. Online Friendships 33 percent met someone online with whom they still keep in touch. 21 percent arranged to meet their e-friend in person. Girls were more likely than boys to arrange a face-to-face meeting (26 percent versus 14 percent). Computer Education Of the teens surveyed, 55 percent take computer class, including 62 percent of boys 51 percent of girls SOURCE: A Field Guide to Wired Teens, 2000. Digital Research, Inc. in Kennebunkport, Maine.