Caught in the Web

Abstract

This chapter reviews research on Internet abuse, as well as other relevant research, to summarize and highlight trends and differences across studies. It first documents the incidents and demographic differences found in online and offline studies of Internet abuse, and explores characteristics of the Internet and of those who abuse it. Alternative explanations for Internet abuse are also discussed. The chapter explores the impact of Internet abuse on the lives of college students. Internet abuse studies have been conducted in both offline and online settings. Offline studies have consisted of surveys of college students in the United States, Europe, and Taiwan. In two studies, participants self identified themselves as "Internet addicts" or "psychologically dependent" on the Internet. In the rest of the studies, Internet abuse is defined by the impact of Internet use on users' lives