Men are more associated with activities that have been associated with internet addiction. Men usually take more risks in their online activity.
Women are more likely to have lower computer self-efficacy and less positive internet attitudes. Women are more aware of privacy and economic risks in online transactions.
6% of married internet users have met their partner online.
In 30% of the couples at least one person checked their partner’s emails or read their partner’s SMS messages without them knowing. In 20% of the couples at least one the partners had checked their spouse’s browser history.
Helsper, E., & Whitty, M. (2010). Netiquette within married couples: Agreement about acceptable online behavior and surveillance between partners Computers in Human Behavior DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2010.02.006
Study participants were categorized into 4 groups according to their intensity of Internet use:
- heavy Internet users (HIUs; >2 hours/day)
- regular Internet users (RIUs; several days per week and 2 hours/day)
- occasional users (1 hour/week)
- and non-Internet users (NIUs; no use in the previous month)
Health factors examined were:
- perceived health
- depression
- overweight
- headaches
- back pain
- insufficient sleep
U-shaped link
Heavy Internet users of both genders were more likely to report higher depressive scores.
Only male users were found at increased risk of overweight and female users at increased risk of insufficient sleep.
Non-Internet users (NIUs) and occasional users also were found at increased risk of higher depressive scores.
Back-pain complaints were found predominantly among male non-Internet users.
There was a U-shaped relationship between intensity of Internet use and poorer mental health of adolescents. Heavy Internet users were confirmed at increased risk for somatic health problems.
Regular Internet use (up to 2 hours per day) is OK
Health professionals should be on the alert when caring for adolescents who report either heavy Internet use or very little/none. Regular Internet use as a normative behavior without major health consequences.
Take home point
Whatever the intensity of your Internet use is (if you are reading this, my guess is that the "intensity" of you sedentary lifestyle is high), don't forget the benefits of regular exercise:
"Microsoft and Amazon, replicate data several times, on servers around the world. They scatter it all over the place so as not to lose it. Data moves around both within cloud centers and from one data center to another, often crossing oceans and trekking continents to get there.
Some of these cloud companies employ armed guards, retina scans and "man traps," where doors lock on both sides of would-be entrants before letting them inside."
My opinion: The future of computing is in the cloud. I have authored multiple abstracts and scientific papers using Google Docs to collaborate with co-authors based in different states, countries and continents. Emailing a copy of a Microsoft Word document back and forth is quickly becoming a thing of the past. We need better collaboration tools that are not tied to a stationary desktop computer, a single laptop or a hard drive that can crash. Cloud computing is the way to go as long as we all use better security protocols and common sense.
Google Voice, which provides people with a single phone number that can be used to reach them on their work, home, or cell phones, has 1.419 million users.
Google Voice charges only for outbound calls to international locations; at present, fewer than 4% of all Google Voice users place outbound international calls.
Google emphasizes that Google Voice is not a phone service, it's a Web-based software application.
I have used Google Voice for about 2-3 years, when it was still a service called Grand Central, and my experience has been positive. You can embed a Google Voice widget in your blog sidebar which lets the website visitors call you without revealing your or their phone number. Google Voice automatically transcribes the voicemail as text and emails you a copy.
One of my colleagues was wondering if Google Voice can transcribe his dictations but this practice would not be HIPAA-compliant and may be against the terms of use of the service.
