What Happens in an Internet Minute? 2021
Critical Analysis
What is the big story this infographic tells?
Before COVID-19 only 15% of Americans worked from home, now half do. What impact will the COVID-19 have on the internet?
How does this internet minute most impact American politics, and specifically, how will it impact the 2022 midterm election?
Explain whether you think the government should regulate the internet more.
Explain which you think has more impact on your life: the U.S. government or the internet.
Imagine there was an internet at the time of the Constitutional Convention. How would that have impacted our country’s founding?
In Federalist No. 538, Alexander Hamilton wrote that “the internet will be the death of us all.” Do you believe Hamilton was right?
What does your average internet minute look like?
Only one generation ago, there was no internet as we know it today. How do you think the internet has most profoundly changed your generation and what do you think an internet minute will look like in 10 years?
Imagine the internet went down - for an entire year - describe the three biggest impacts that would have on your life. Then imagine the internet went down - for an entire year - describe the three biggest impacts that would have on American politics.
Learning Extension
Check out the Teens Fact Sheet from the Pew Research Center about internet consumption by U.S. teenagers.
Action Extension
Did you know that offline, the average person will have 35 to 48 thoughts per minute? Take ten minutes to be by yourself. Stay off the internet for the entire 10 minutes. Hard to do? Notice how you feel. Pay attention to your thoughts and where they go. Notice every time you reach for your phone or computer. Be aware of the speed of time. Stop. Now go online for ten minutes. Notice how different these ten minutes were from ten spent offline. Share your results with friends or family or in class.