Abstract

Internet has opened up a new social arena where actors behave and act. Rather than simply adopting a new technology, individuals adapt it to theirs needs and habits. This research note focuses on how the internet has come to be an essential tool in actors' daily life, how they use it in their daily lives and for what purposes. Relying on national time diary data (Istat Time Uses Survey), the structure of a typical day for Italian men and women is described, identifying differences in the total amount of time spent on several activities. As for other explorative studies, the goal is to describe the relationship between the Internet and time budgets in order to infer whether information and communication technologies substantially contribute to a redefinition of individuals' social organization. Concrete differences between those who use the Internet and other technologies and those who do not suggest a real impact may occur.