The nine tribes of the internet

THE NINE TRIBES OF THE INTERNET Lee Rainie – Director Pew Internet Project Washington 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

Ecosystem changes
Volume of information grows
Variety of information increases
Velocity of information speeds up
The times and places to experience media enlarge
People’s vigilance for information expands AND contracts

Ecosystem changes
The immersive qualities of media are more compelling
Relevance of information improves
The number of information “voices” explodes – and becomes more findable
Voting and ventilating are enabled
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 picture
39% 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 1 Digital 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 2 Ambivalent 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
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 3 Media 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)
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 4 Roving 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)
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 5 Mobile 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
Community type: 24% rural
Funky facts: just 39%=internet users 46% use computers
none 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 1 Desktop 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+ (3 rd highest)
Household income: 32% make >$75K
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 2 Drifting 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
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 3 Information 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
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 4 Tech 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 (2 nd oldest)
Race: Diverse (little higher Af-Am)
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 5 Off 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
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_address]
Twitter: http://twitter.com/lrainie
202-419-4500

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The nine tribes of the internet

by Lee Rainie on Jun 09, 2009

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