Compiled by Vicky Nolan
Work & Gambling Don't Mix
Researchers at Websense Inc. are warning corporations that the proliferation of online gambling sites is adversely affecting employees' work habits. "Companies that provide Internet access to gambling sites may incur substantial employee productivity losses," explained the author of Virtual Addiction. "In extreme cases, this may increase the potential for liability from the negative consequences an employee may incur--including compulsive gambling problems and financial losses."
Including both real-money and free-play sites, Websense researchers have tracked more than 21,651 online gambling sites currently available. This figure has jumped from 209 percent since last year. In the last six months alone, there has been a 136 percent increase in such sites, researchers added.
www.websense.com
The Multimedia Experience Online
Nearly 79 percent of home Internet users have installed streaming media players on their PCs, according to PCData researchers. The most popular media player is Real Player, which has been installed in 80.8 percent of computers, followed by Microsoft's Windows Media Player, which is on 55.3 percent of PCs. Instant messaging has also grown in popularity. Almost two-thirds of Americans have installed some kind of IM software. The most popular software used is AOL's Instant Messenger, used by 63 percent of IM devotees. Other popular IM software comes from ICQ, used by 31 percent, while 30.7 percent use MSN Messenger Service.
www.pcdata.com
Favored Online Targets
It used to be that many businesses targeted their online advertising to children, but that's changing now. While ads targeted to children have dropped 56 percent between May and August 2000, advertising targeted to families has grown 96 percent during the same time, reports Media Metrix. "The shift that we're seeing in child and family advertising online might be tied in part to the recent FTC privacy guidelines. It's safe to say that companies have learned to tread lightly as they seek to target younger generations," said a Media Metrix spokesman.
www.mediametrix.com
New Internet Statistics
According to the latest figures from NetValue, a service that measures all Internet activity, the U.S. is maintaining its lead in terms of Internet penetration. Nearly half of all American households are connected, about 51 million households. In comparison, the U.K. is leading the way in Europe, with nearly 31 percent or 7.3 million households online. Germany follows with 24.7 percent (8.5 million), trailed by France, which has 16.6 percent or nearly 4 million connected to the Internet.
www.netvalue.com
The Favored ISPs
Consumers have plenty of Internet service providers to choose among for high-speed access, and the winning choice seems to be their local telephone company. A recent study from The Strategis Group shows that 31 percent of consumers have chosen their local phone company to set up residential high
speed Internet connections, up from only 16 percent a year ago. Consumers are also putting that increased bandwidth to good use, with 61 percent of Internet users going online to play video clips, 40 percent listen to the radio online, and 21 percent pay bills online.
"The shift in popularity demonstrates the efficacy of recent marketing campaigns by ILECs, such as SBC, Bell Atlantic and Qwest (U.S. West)," said a Strategis analyst. "ILECs are showing success in branding themselves as the source of high-speed access to the residential consumer."