Almost half of Internet users age 16 and older—48 percent—areworried about companies checking their actions on the Internet,according to a recent survey by USC Annenberg School forCommunication & Journalism as part of the Digital FutureProject.

By comparison, only 38 percent of Internet users age 16 andolder are concerned about the government checking what they doonline.

Other findings include:

• Among Internet users age 16 and older, 33 percent said that itis safe to voice their views about politics while online. However,36 percent do not think it is safe to say whatever one thinks aboutpolitics while online.
• A much larger percentage—70 percent—believe that people shouldbe free on the Internet to criticize their government whileonline.
• Sixty-eight percent of adult Internet users buy online, aslight increase over the 65 percent reported in 2009 and thehighest figure reported thus far in the Digital FutureProject.
• The percentage of users who report spending $1 to $100 permonth increased to 58 percent of adult Internet users, up from 54percent in the previous study.
• Visiting websites for video sharing or social networking suchas YouTube or Facebook continues to increase; 44 percent ofInternet users said they use these sites at least once a day ormore, up from 36 percent in the previous study.
• In 2009, Internet use surpassed 80 percent among Americans,reaching 82 percent. In the current study, Internet use remainedflat at 82 percent of Americans.
• Internet use dipped slightly to an average of 18.3 hours perweek, the first time the weekly use has declined in thestudies.

The Center for the Digital Future telephone and Web-based surveyof 1,926 Americans over the age of 12 was conducted between Apriland August 2010, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2percentage points.