Lee Rainie spoke at the Council on Foundations Annual Conference at a session titled "Philanthropy and the Digital Public Dialogue." Joined by representatives from the Center for Digital Information and other experts in the field, he discussed how advances in digital technology, rapid changes in how citizens access and engage with news and information, and the continued reshaping of the traditional media are dramatically altering the environment in which foundations operate.

1. The New Environment for
Foundations
“Where the puck is going”
Council on Foundations: Philanthropy and the Digital Public Dialogue
April 30, 2012
Lee Rainie: Director, Pew Internet Project
Email: Lrainie@pewinternet.org
Twitter: @Lrainie
PewInternet.org

2. Digital Revolution 1
Internet (80%) and Broadband at home (66%)
Home broadband Home dial-up
80%
70%
71%
60%
50%
66%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
June April March March April March March March April April May May August Jan
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2011 2012

3. Where the puck is going
• Modest further increases in internet and
broadband adoption
• Major increases in citizen content creation as
more life activities get “social-ized”
– Reading
– Browsing
– Other media consumption
– Links to causes, organizations, and brands
• Massive expansion of volume and velocity of
information – leads to new filtering systems via
social networks, algorithms, and intermediaries

4. Digital Revolution 2
Mobile – 88% cell owners / 46% smartphone owners
327.6
Total U.S.
population:
315.5
million

5. Where the puck is going
• Massive expansion of the “internet of things”
– environment, artifacts, appliances,
landscape
• Widespread “metaverse” blending of data and
environment – in augmented reality, mirror
worlds (simulations), life logging
• End of the personal computer as the
dominant tool for internet access – new
devices and interfaces (voice and gesture)

6. Digital Revolution 3
Social networking – 52% of all adults
100%
% of internet users 86% 85%
80% 83%
70% 71%
76%
67% 61%
60%
52%
48%
49% 47% 51%
40% 35%
25% 33%
25% 26%
20%
9% 8% 11% 13%
7% 7%
4%
0% 6%
1%
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
18-29 30-49 50-64 65+

7. Where the puck is going
• Personal networks sit next to institutions as vital
sources of news and political activity
• DIY construction of personal networks become
standard for personal and community problem
solving
• Just-in-time personalized information becomes a
staple of personal engagement with organizations
• People treat organizations as “nodes” in their
networks

8. Overall changes
• New socio-economic divides matter – tech
access and social network structure
• Citizen attention is reallocated
• Influence in the messaging environment is
reconfigured as the “Fifth Estate” of citizen
creators rises
• Transparency is a new measure of how citizens
assess organizations and hallmark of civic life
– surveillance, sousveillance, coveillance

9. Thank you!