Presentation for Future Technology and Society Workshop for the EU Commission, Brussels, 19 November 2010.

1. The Internet and Innovation for Society:
Key Concepts and Challenges
William H. Dutton
Oxford Internet Institute (OII)
University of Oxford
www.ox.ac.uk
Presentation for Future Technology and Society Workshop for the EU
Commission, Albert Borschette Conference Center, Rue Froissart,
Buruxelles, 19 November 2010.

2. Key Concepts and Challenges
• Cascading Reinvention of the Internet
• Plateau in Diffusion: Digital Divides and Choices
• Tipping Point in Use and Trust in an Experience
Technology (Cohorts and Age)
• Reconfiguring Access
• Networked Individuals and Institutions
• Reconfiguring Networks of Collaboration,
Friendship, Marriage, … Society
• Political Accountability: The Fifth Estate
• Regulatory Imperatives and Challenges

3.  Reinventing the Internet:
• Broadband, and Superfast, Next Generation Access
• Search – Google; and Linked Data Initiatives
• Video – YouTube
• Social Networking Platforms – Facebook
• Blogging, Micro-blogging – Twitter
 Reinventing Mobile and the Mobile Internet:
• Texting
• Internet Access – Mobile Apps – iPhone, iPad, iTV…
Cascading Reinvention of the Internet

4. Creativity and Production Online
(QC10 and QC31)
Current users. OxIS 2005: N=1,309; OxIS 2007: N=1,578; OxIS 2009: N=1,401
Note. Social networking question changed in 2009.
4

5. Use of Features on Mobile Phones (QH13)
Mobile phone users. OxIS 2005: N=1,857; OxIS 2007: N=2,070; OxIS 2009: N=1,789

6. The Worldwide Diffusion of the Internet:
Global and Local Divides

7. A Plateau?
Internet Use by Individuals In Britain
OxIS 2003: N=2,029, OxIS 2005: N=2,185; OxIS 2007: N=2,350; OxIS 2009: N=2,013

9. Use by Income (QH14 by SC3)
OxIS 2005: N=2,185; OxIS 2007: N=2,350; OxIS 2009: N=2,013.
Note: The income scale changed in 2009.
9

10. Use by Age (QH14 by QD1)
OxIS 2005: N=2,185; OxIS 2007: N=2,350; OxIS 2009: N=2,013 10

11. Trust in an Experience Technology:
Reliability of Information by Internet
Users and Non-Users 2009
OxIS 2009: N=2,013
Note. The scale changed from a 10 point scale in 2007 to a 5 point scale in 2009.
11

12. Attitudes towards Technologies by Lifestage
OxIS 2009: N=2,013.
12

13. Tipping Point for the Centrality of the
Internet over Time
OxIS 2003: N=2,029; OxIS 2005: N=2,185; OxIS 2007 N=2,350. OxIS 2009: N=2,013

14. Average Importance of Media for
Information by Internet Users and
Non-Users (QA2 by QH14)
OxIS 2009: N=2,013 14

16. Looking for Information on
Different Media (QA1)
OxIS 2009: N=2,013
16

17. Ways to Look for Information
Online (QC25)
Current users. OxIS 2005: N=1,309; OxIS 2007: N=1,578; OxIS 2009: N=1,401
Note. Question changed in 2007. 17

18.  Networked Institutions, such as in e-Health
 Networked Individuals of the Fifth Estate:
 going to the Internet for health and medical
information
 networking physicians via Sermo
Networked Institutions v Networked
Individuals of the Fifth Estate

19. Sermo

20.  Press in the 18th Century -- the
‘Fourth Estate’
 Internet in the 21st -- enabling a
Fifth Estate
Enabling people to network with other
individuals and with information, services
and technical resources in ways that
support social accountability in business
and industry, government, politics, and
the media.
The Fourth and Fifth Estates

21. Centrality of the Internet, Trust in
Government and Attitudes toward
Internet Regulation over Time
OxIS 2003: N=2,029; OxIS 2005: N=2,185; OxIS 2007 N=2,350. OxIS 2009: N=2,013

22. Key Concepts and Challenges
• Cascading Reinvention of the Internet
• Plateau in Diffusion: Digital Divides and Choices
• Tipping Point in Use and Trust in an Experience
Technology (Cohorts and Age)
• Reconfiguring Access
• Networked Individuals and Institutions
• Reconfiguring Networks of Collaboration,
Friendship, Marriage, … Society
• Political Accountability: The Fifth Estate
• Regulatory Imperatives and Challenges

23. • Oxford Internet Surveys (OxIS)
• World Internet Project (WIP)
• Global Internet Values Project (GIV) with INSEAD, World Economic
Forum and ComScore
• A variety of European Projects, including:
• Towards a Future Internet: Interrelation between Technological,
Social and Economic Trends, European Commission’s DG
Information Society and Media
• Socio-Economics Service for European Research Projects
(SESERV), 7th Framework Programme
• Dissemination and Networks of Knowledge in the Atlantic Area
(KNETWORKS), European Regional Development Fund, EC
• Media Literacy: Testing and refining criteria to assess media
literacy levels in all Member States, SMART
Drawing on Empirical Research

24. The Internet and Innovation for Society:
Key Concepts and Challenges
William H. Dutton
Oxford Internet Institute (OII)
University of Oxford
www.ox.ac.uk
Presentation for Future Technology and Society Workshop for the EU
Commission, Albert Borschette Conference Center, Rue Froissart,
Buruxelles, 19 November 2010.