The Conversation: The Young and The Cautious

Harris Poll: People Cutting Back Internet Use After Snowden

"According to a Harris Interactive poll, sponsored by the security company ESET, nearly half said they have "changed their behavior and think more carefully about where they go, what they say and what they do online," The Wall Street Journal reported." 

Stephen Cobb, a researcher for ESET, said that the poll shows that "we are seeing something significant here. I don't recall the Internet going backward at any other time."

According to the poll of 2,000 people, 26 percent said they are shopping online, and among people 18 to 34, 33 percent said they are doing less online shopping. (read more)

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"In October, some 15 million people tuned in to watch Major League Baseball’s World Series in the United States. But that’s nothing compared to the other big sporting tournament that took place around the same time: In late September and early October, 32 million people watched the League of Legends Season 3 World Championship, according to a new report (pdf) from SuperData, a games research company."

Watching other people play computer games—or eSports—is big business. More than 71 million people worldwide watched eSports last year, half in the United States, according to SuperData...

Why would someone want to watch other people play video games? Unlike viewers of traditional sports such as football or basketball, the people watching eSports tend to play the game regularly as well. They watch to learn new moves and improve their own game, says SuperData’s CEO, Joost van Dreunen.

That playing experience helps explain why watching eSports is so popular: Multiplayer online games and shooter games take a long time to master, and novice players learn by watching professionals. ”It’s how you learn, and get to see some really cool moments in the game,” says van Dreunen. These sports fans are dedicated too: the average viewing sessions lasts over two hours, and fans tune in to eSports an average of 19 times a month.