July 20, 2001—New research sponsored by the Markle Foundation shows that Americans are in favor of a broad range of perspectives and interests involved in decisions about key Internet policy issues. Although the public has an overwhelmingly favorable view of the medium, about half of the public also views the Internet as a “source of worry” due to an array of concerns—ranging from online pornography and violence, to privacy violations, to unresponsive providers and lack of trustworthiness of online information.
But in looking for solutions, they want to go beyond such black and white choices as “government regulation” or “industry self-regulation” to fashion approaches that involve government, industry, technical experts, non-profit organizations, and the public itself.
The report’s findings include:
- 63% of all Americans, and 83% of those who go online, have a positive view of the Internet.
- The public identifies the Internet primarily as a source of information, with 45% saying their dominant image of the Internet is that of a “library” as opposed to 17% who compare it to a “shopping mall” or “banking and investment office.”
- 45% of all Americans see the Internet as a source of worry, and 70% say, “You have to question most things you read on the Internet.”
- By a margin of 54-36%, the public believes it does not enjoy the same rights and protections online than it has in the off-line world, and 59% say they don’t know who they would turn to if they had a problem online.
- On the hotly debated issue of Internet taxation, a clear majority (60%) believes that online purchases should be taxed the same as off-line items.
For more information or the full report, “Toward a Framework for Internet Accountability,” visit the Markle Foundation.
