The Oxford Internet Surveys (OxIS) is a regular survey of the British population, asking respondents about how they use the internet. This report sets out the results of the 2019 survey, which revealed a rapid increase in use of the internet for commercial, banking and entertainment purposes. The number of people paying bills online, watching films and TV series and streaming music via the internet has increased significantly since 2013.
However, the report also finds a growing divide in experience and perception between those who use the internet and those who do not, which could lead to non-users potentially missing out on access to key services, widening the ‘digital divide’. The results further show that while harmful experiences on the internet like viruses or theft of credit card details have not increased, 72% of non-internet users believe the internet threatens privacy, compared to 52% of those who actually use the internet. The authors argue that this new data shows a need to engage with non-users to address their concerns and help them understand the opportunities the internet can bring.
Former Departmental Lecturer
Grant Blank's work focuses on the social and cultural implications of the Internet and new media, quantitative and qualitative methods, and cultural sociology. He taught on the OII social statistics courses.
Senior Fellow, Advisory Board Member
Bill Dutton was the OII’s Founding Director, a Fellow of Balliol College and the first Professor of Internet Studies at Oxford University.