Americans spend nearly half their day online — whether it's work or play — ‘eye-opening' poll shows
'This new survey was eye-opening,' said Eric Bruno, senior vice president of product management for Optimum, whose telecommunications firm interviewed 2,000 US residents who have a home Internet subscription with any company for the poll.
'We were amazed to see how many hours folks are watching, shopping and browsing online on a daily basis,' Bruno told The Post.
Americans are spending nearly half of their day on the internet, according to a new survey.
Dusan Petkovic – stock.adobe.com
'It underscores how important a strong, affordable, and reliable Internet has become in today's world.'
On average, screen-zombie Americans spend more than 10 hours daily accessing the Web.
They spend 5.4 of those hours browsing, working, gaming, looking at social media, reading email or paying bills, the survey found.
They spend another five hours streaming video or TV content.
A majority of the people — 55% — use their television to stream shows or movies, followed by 20% with mobile phones and 25% combined using laptop or desktop computers or tablets.
For general Internet consumption, a majority of customers access service from their mobile phones or computers, while 44% do so from their TV.
Besides streaming videos and TV shows, nearly 80% of customers said they use the Web to browse or pay bills, 73% scour social media, 72% shop online, 37% handle work assignments and 20% complete school work.
The online survey of 2,000 adults ages 18 and over who subscribe or use home Internet service was conducted between May 6-14.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
6 minutes ago
- The Hill
Why you're getting debanked, and how lawmakers can stop it happening
For two decades, I have worked with policymakers and law enforcement in North America and Europe to strengthen the financial safeguards that keep state sponsors of terrorism, violent extremist groups, weapons proliferators and criminal networks from exploiting the U.S. banking system. I have supported tough sanctions. I have pushed to close loopholes that hindered enforcement. And I have worked to hold those who enable illicit finance and trade, wittingly or not, to account. From the beginning, banks have been essential partners in these efforts. Through 'Know Your Customer' procedures and the anti-money laundering laws that followed the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, financial institutions have supplied the data and intelligence that help law enforcement uncover illegal activities such as human-trafficking rings, fentanyl supply chains and terror-financing networks. These frameworks played a critical role in safeguarding the country. Unfortunately, some of the tools intended to identity and stop criminal activity are now targeting and unjustly driving lawful customers lawful customers out of the financial system — a phenomenon widely known as 'debanking.' Most Americans are unaware that any cash transaction over $10,000 triggers the creation of a Currency Transaction Report that is filed with the federal government. That dollar amount threshold was set when Lyndon Johnson was in the White House and, incredibly, has never been updated to account for inflation. In today's economy, $10,000 might barely cover the cost of a used car. Yet banks are still required to flag such transactions, regardless of context, producing millions of reports every year that offer little value to law enforcement. Suspicious Activity Reports are yet another layer of government scrutiny. Banks filed more than 4 million Suspicious Activity Reports just last year, according to the Treasury Department. Former officials concede this avalanche of paperwork does little to improve public safety. In fact, it can create a burden for investigators seeking to identify and separate the truly suspicious activity from the mundane. When enforcement cannot separate the signal from the noise, it becomes dangerous. Meanwhile, regulators continue to pressure banks to apply broad risk labels to entire industries simply because they involve cash-heavy businesses, serve overseas clients or operate in unfavored sectors — all in the name of keeping our financial system 'safe and sound.' This isn't theoretical. Religious charities, international aid organizations and countless immigrant-owned businesses have all faced the threat of debanking. They are not terrorists or criminals. They are fellow Americans being pushed to the financial margins by a system that confuses bureaucracy with vigilance. Congress is beginning to address the problem through the Financial Institution Regulatory Modernization Act. This legislation would increase transparency and accountability in how agencies issue guidance and conduct examinations of financial institutions and their customers. It would help ensure that banks are not penalized for serving lawful customers in politically sensitive sectors. It's an encouraging start, but it will not be enough by itself. The single most effective step policymakers could take today to address the unintended debanking of lawful citizens is to modernize the anti-money laundering framework. Modernization should ensure banks provide relevant and actionable information that truly helps investigators and allows financial institutions to replace box-ticking alerts and reporting with data analysis that spots real patterns of abuse. Banks would still verify identities, monitor accounts and file reports the moment they see suspicious activity. These reforms would sharpen these responsibilities and make our country and the banking industry safer. Further, clear standards would let financial institutions maintain relationships with lawful customers while giving authorities faster access to data when real dangers emerge. The U.S. led the world in building a financial system hostile to terrorist financing and illicit finance. That leadership depends on a financial system that is both secure, credible and widely accessible. When honest actors are pushed out incorrectly, arbitrarily, and without transparency, and financial access is treated as a privilege rather than a right, the foundation of that leadership begins to erode. Policymakers do not need to choose between security and fairness. A modernized anti-money laundering regime would strengthen both. It would allow regulators and institutions to focus attention on those posing a real risk and reduce the burden on both law-abiding financial institutions and their customers I have spent much of my life trying to make America safer by making our financial system harder to exploit. That mission still matters. But the tools we built decades ago are not suited to today's challenges. Without reform, the anti-money laundering regime will continue to fail in its most basic duty: distinguishing between friend and foe. Congress and the administration should act now. The stakes are too high to allow inertia to carry the day. regulations.
Newsweek
7 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Social Security Update: Major Payment Change Coming Next Month
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Social Security recipients will experience a complete transition from paper check disbursements to electronic payments, starting at the end of September. The Trump administration announced the update as part of a larger push to modernize the Social Security Administration (SSA) with fully digital payments. Why It Matters Social Security plays a crucial role in the lives of over 60 million Americans who rely on consistent benefit payments for retirement, disability, or other support. Alongside this payment overhaul, the SSA has also increased monthly withholding for many beneficiaries with outstanding overpayment debts, prompting concerns about financial security for some of the nation's most vulnerable citizens. What To Know Beginning September 30, the U.S. Treasury Department will require all federal payments, including Social Security benefits, to be delivered using electronic methods rather than paper checks. The policy, announced in May and confirmed by the SSA in mid-July, means current paper check recipients must switch to either direct deposit or a pre-paid Direct Express debit card. The move aims to reduce payment fraud and administrative costs since paper checks cost about 50 cents to issue, compared to less than 15 cents for electronic transactions. "I've seen too many clients over the years get hit by check washing scams," Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of told Newsweek. "Criminals literally erase the payee and amount on stolen checks. It's heartbreaking when someone's entire monthly income disappears because their check got intercepted." Some exceptions will be permitted for those unable to complete the transition. On July 23, Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, announced that SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano agreed there would be allowances for beneficiaries who cannot practically use electronic payments, ensuring access to essential funds remains uninterrupted. While SSA has not issued detailed public guidance on exceptions, a spokesperson told CNN that paper checks would continue when no other alternative exists and that all beneficiaries would be updated on transition procedures. Waivers can be requested for conditions such as mental impairment, living in areas without banking infrastructure, or being aged 90 or above. The shift toward electronic disbursement comes alongside ongoing changes to how SSA manages payment errors. The agency also increased withholding rates for benefit recipients with outstanding overpayment debts from 10 percent to 50 percent of monthly payments in July. The move, intended to speed up the collection of $32.8 billion in outstanding overpayments from 2020 to 2023, affects thousands of beneficiaries this summer. While it reduces the burden from a previously proposed 100 percent withholding, the 50 percent rate has drawn criticism from advocates and legal experts concerned about the wellbeing of low-income retirees and people with disabilities who largely depend on Social Security income. Meanwhile, the SSA recently upgraded its My Social Security online portal to 24/7 access, allowing users greater flexibility in managing their accounts, direct deposit details, benefit verification, and required documentation. Agency officials say the changes aim to help beneficiaries manage the transition to electronic payments and navigate other policy updates more efficiently. A Social Security Administration (SSA) office in Washington, D.C., on March 26. A Social Security Administration (SSA) office in Washington, D.C., on March 26. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images What People Are Saying A spokesperson for the SSA told Newsweek: "In March 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14247, which mandates the transition to electronic payments for all Federal disbursements by September 30, 2025. Less than one percent of Social Security Administration beneficiaries currently receive paper checks. SSA is proactively contacting those beneficiaries to alert them about the change and the process to enroll in direct deposit or receive Direct Express cards." Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "The pivot away from paper checks is one that some in the administration feel is needed. Paper checks can be viewed as easier targets for fraud, especially when it comes to government benefits. There's also the reality that the vast majority of recipients have opted to receive their monthly benefits through direct deposit, cutting down the need for the administrative oversight for paper checks and all the extra postage and processing that come with them." Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek: "The SSA aims to achieve two main objectives with this change: modernizing their payment system and reducing fraud within the program. They have identified paper checks as a significant source of fraud, although I personally find that reasoning questionable. Cashing paper checks typically requires photo identification and verification, so digital banking—where most financial fraud occurs—seems like a more logical area of concern." Drew Powers, the founder of Illinois-based Powers Financial Group, told Newsweek: "Moving to direct deposit and other forms of electronic payment really is more secure than a paper check. For many senior citizens, their mailbox is a prime entry point for theft and fraud. Hopefully, this transition can move at a pace that makes it more comfortable for the recipient. Some seniors will have to learn new online systems, and must be diligent in safeguarding their information."
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ditching NYC For China Saved Her Finances — Here's How She's Living Large On $30K
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Aleese Lightyear's story is one of reinvention. At 35, she has left behind the high costs and stress of life in New York City and built a new, affordable lifestyle in Chengdu, China. Now earning $30,000 a year, she lives comfortably, saves aggressively, and is planning her next big move — buying a beach home in Mexico. Here's how she made the leap and what her life looks like now. From Paycheck-to-Paycheck to Financial Freedom Originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Lightyear spent a decade in New York working in reality TV production. The long hours and high cost of living left her exhausted and financially stuck. "I was living check to check, which sucked," she told CNBC. She hit a turning point in 2019 and moved to Beijing, eventually settling in Chengdu in 2023. Don't Miss: Accredited Investors: Grab Pre-IPO Shares of the AI Company Powering Hasbro, Sephora & MGM— $100k+ in investable assets? – no cost, no obligation. Today, she teaches English essay writing to first-year university students in Chengdu. Her workweek totals just 18 hours across four days, offering a far more manageable pace than her former 70-hour weeks in NYC. Living Well on Less Than $30K While $30,000 a year qualifies as poverty-level income in the U.S., Lightyear says she's "living large" in China. Her employer covers half her rent, so she pays just $278 a month for a three-bedroom downtown apartment. Public transit is affordable — a round-trip subway ride costs only 28 cents — and a local meal can be as little as $2. She told CNBC that she spends about $75 a month on groceries and $150 on eating out. Healthcare is free through her job, and she receives additional perks like $1,200 in annual flight reimbursement and a subway stipend. Lightyear estimates she's now able to save up to $1,000 a month — savings she's using to pay off student loans and build toward buying a small beach property in Mexico. Trending: 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. A Broader Trend: More Americans Moving Abroad Lightyear is far from alone. According to the Association of Americans Resident Overseas, an estimated 5.5 million U.S. citizens live abroad. And the numbers appear to be rising. Multinational law firm Harvey Law Group says that the trend of Americans moving abroad has picked up speed since the pandemic — especially among those seeking lower living costs, access to healthcare, and more relaxed lifestyles. Many are motivated by frustrations over rising expenses, limited economic opportunity, and growing political or social unrest. In fact, the law firm reported a sharp spike in interest in moving abroad after the 2024 U.S. election, as individuals looked for alternatives that better aligned with their personal values and financial goals. For Lightyear, that meant trading a hectic life in New York for a slower, more affordable lifestyle in China — a decision that has helped her regain control over her time and her Challenges, Finding Confidence Moving abroad hasn't been without obstacles. Lightyear said adjusting to a new language, culture, and way of life was tough at first. As a woman of color, she also stands out in a largely homogeneous society. But she's built a new community of local and expat friends and says her confidence has grown immensely. "I think my self-confidence has improved through the roof," she told CNBC. "You know that saying about New York — if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere? Well, throw that away and apply it to China." Read Next: With Point, you can Image: Shutterstock This article Ditching NYC For China Saved Her Finances — Here's How She's Living Large On $30K originally appeared on Sign in to access your portfolio
