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Ned Potter is the science correspondent for ABC's "World News with Charles Gibson." He has reported on such topics as space exploration, the human genome and climate change.
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Ask Mom? Or the Internet?
January 02, 2008 4:45 PM
If you're in trouble -- if you have a medical problem, or the IRS has sent a strangely-worded letter -- where do you turn?
According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project:
"For help with a variety of common problems, more people turn to the internet than consult experts or family members to provide information and resources."
If the survey is to believed, more people used the web than asked a person.
Their numbers, from a phone survey of 2,800 Americans who were asked if they'd had medical questions or problems with government agencies:
-- 58% of those who had recently experienced one of those problems said they used the internet (at home, work, a public library or some other place) to get help.
--53% said they turned to professionals such as doctors, lawyers or financial experts.
--45% said they sought out friends and family members for advice and help.
--36% said they consulted newspapers and magazines.
--34% said they directly contacted a government office or agency.
--16% said they consulted television and radio.
--13% said they went to the public library.
Oh, and by the way, about 63 percent, give or take a little, said they got the answers they needed--regardless of the source. This was less true for the 36 percent of adults who lack broadband access; they're generally older and poorer than the rest of those surveyed, and they said they found satisfaction about 54 percent of the time. The full report is HERE.
Mom? Dad? Dr. Wilking? I still trust you.
January 2, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (1)
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Well, I love and trust my Mom, but she's 93. I don't think the breadth of her experience would answer the questions I might need answers to. I've recently discovered that the secret of getting information from the internet is learning how to ask the questions. If I were to ask Mom some of the questions, I might get the back of her hand. No, on balance, I'd rather go to the internet.
Posted by: Andy | Jan 3, 2008 9:23:13 AM
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