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THE INTERNET AND AMERICAN LIFE
Are you curious about who uses the Internet and what they do with it? So is the Pew Internet & American Life Project, an initiative of the Pew Research Center studying the impact of the Internet on America’s families, communities, schools, workplaces and political life.

Since March 2000, the project has interviewed some 64,000 people about their use of the Internet; the findings are summarized in a report released at the end of last year.

About 126 million Americans are online, comprising nearly two-thirds of all adults and three-quarters of teen-agers, according to the Pew data. That represents a 45 percent increase since 2000, though growth in the online population has been nearly flat since 2002. A typical day finds about 66 million people online.

More than any other activity, e-mail is the compelling reason most people find to get online, the so-called "killer app" of the Internet. Nine out of 10 Americans who are online have sent or read e-mail, compared with about one-half of that population who have used instant messaging and about one-quarter who have participated in online discussions or chat rooms.

The interest in online health information continues to grow, according to the Pew report. As of March 2000, there were 46 million Americans who had looked for health or medical information online; that figure grew to nearly 93 million by December 2002.

While use of the Internet has increased across all demographic groups, pronounced gaps in access persist, according to Pew. Older Americans, minorities, those with modest amounts of education and income, the unemployed and rural Americans tend to be less "wired" than their counterparts.

For the full story on how Americans use the Internet, visit the Pew Internet & American Life Web site at "www.pewinternet.org/reports/toc.asp?Report=106".

COMPUTER SECURITY BULLETINS BY E-MAIL
The National Cyber Security Division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security introduced a new service early this year, offering a suite of e-mail bulletins and tips on maintaining computer security targeted to both casual users and the more technically savvy.

Known as the National Cyber Alert System, the service is designed to provide timely information on computer security vulnerabilities, the actions required to mitigate security threats and basic advice on maintaining secure computer systems. Three e-mail publications are available to any interested subscriber:

– Cyber Security Tips, intended for the home computer user, offering tips on best computer security practices and "how-to" information;

– Cyber Security Bulletins, targeted to more technically advanced audiences and computer professionals with biweekly summaries of new security vulnerabilities, their potential impact and remedial actions to reduce risk;

– Cyber Security Alerts, available to both basic and advanced users to provide breaking news on security issues that require immediate action.

Reported by Joe Hoyle, electronic media editor, "hoylej{at}ada.org".

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