Trends in online government Findings from Pew Internet Project research

Digital Government Institute ConferenceDecember 2, 2010

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Who we are• Funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts

• Part of the Pew Research Center, a non-partisan “fact tank” in Washington, DC

• Provide high quality, objective data to thought leaders and policy makers– Do not promote specific technologies or make policy recommendations

• Research is based on nationally representative telephone surveys of adults 18+, drawn from dual-frame (landline + cell) samples

• Today’s findings based on survey of 2,258 adults conducted December 2009, and featured in our April 2010 report, “Government Online”

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Eight in ten internet users visited a gov’t website in the preceding 12 months

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% of internet users who did following in last 12 months:

Look for info about a public policy or issue

48%

Look up what services a gov’t agency provides

46%

Download gov’t forms 41%

Research official documents or statistics

35%

Renew a driver’s license or auto registration

33%

Get recreational or tourist info 30%

Get advice/info about a health or safety issue

25%

Apply for gov’t benefits 23%

Apply for a gov’t job 19%

Pay a fine 15%

Apply for a recreational license 11%

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True “self service” users are few and far between

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Contacts w/ state/federal/local government in preceding 12 months:

• 29% telephone• 24% in-person visit• 17% letter

Among those with some government contact:

• 48% online and offline• 38% online only• 14% offline only

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Preferred mode of contact for problem, question or task involving government

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Among internet users:• 37% prefer online• 33% prefer telephone

Among broadband users:• 39% prefer online• 32% prefer phone

Desirability of phone/in-person contact increases with urgency and severity of issue

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Quick hits: other findings of interest• Government is data-driven

– 40% of online Americans have gone online for data about government

• Citizen interactions are moving beyond the website– 31% of online adults use tools such as blogs, social networking sites, email, online

video or text messaging to get government info

• Government is becoming participatory– 23% of online adults participate in the online debate around government issues

(although much of this discussion occurs outside of “official” government channels)

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Thanks!

name: Aaron Smith

title: Senior Research Specialist

email: asmith@pewinternet.org

web: www.pewinternet.org

twitter: @aaron_w_smith, @pew_internet

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