Quiting the Internet feels like quiting smoking or drinking?!
Published in stuff July 26th, 2011 |
Guys, I get very excited when I read recently published surveys. It’s just thrilling. You never know what the “greatest minds of our time” have came up with this time.
There are two major problems: 1) How a research has been conducted; and 2) How it is going to be presented by the media. We’ve even seen it before.
This time we read:
The majority of people feel upset and lonely when they are deprived of access to the internet, according to consumer research.
A new study has revealed that 53 per cent feel upset when denied access and 40 per cent feel lonely if they are unable to go online.
The research found that people experience these feelings even if denied online access for a short time.
It sounds like someone is trying to prove that the Internet addiction is a great deal. And it is… but this is the least that this particular survey could show us.
Interviewing college students around the world is not the perfect target group. And even if you aim at that target, you can try to be relevant about it but 1000 students around the globe are far from being representative for their group.
Besides… Students are the group of people who rely a lot on new technologies and Internet for their work, study and contact with friends and family. Do you think it would be the same with the 40-50 year olds? I doubt it.
Unrepresentative surveys claiming whatever they want are not helping anyone. They are OK for studying purposes but that’s all.
Remember: be critical about the surveys and researches you read. Find out what are the basics of the survey, see the data, see the methodology and the final output.
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