Fifty-two percent of US adults, and 69% of US adult internet users, have used the internet to watch or download video, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

Entertainment, Info Both Popular

Between 2007 and 2009, there were dramatic increases in the number of Americans who watched the following kinds of videos online (via MarketingCharts):

• Comedy or humorous videos, which rose in viewership from 31% to 50% of adult internet users.

• Educational videos, which rose in viewership from 22% to 38% of adult internet users.

• Movies or television show videos, which rose in viewership from 16% to 32% of adult internet users.

• Political videos, which rose in viewership from 15% to 30% of adult internet users.

Videos Uploaded to SocNets

More than half of video uploaders (52%) post their videos on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. A similar percentage (49%) post videos to video-sharing sites like YouTube and Google Video.

No other type of site even came close to the popularity of social networks and video-sharing sites for uploading videos. “Other” sites were the next-most popular, with 14% of video uploaders posting videos to sites in this catch-all category. Blogs were only used by 10% of uploaders, suggesting social networks and video-sharing sites may be replacing the personal data-sharing function of blogs for many adult internet users.

Other Findings

• 8% of online video consumers (5% of all adult internet users) have connected their computer to their TV so they can watch online video on a TV screen.

• 10% of online video consumers (7% of all adult internet users) have paid to watch or download a video.

• 14% of adult internet users have uploaded a video to the internet so others can watch or download it. Women are as likely as men to upload and share videos.

About the Data: These figures were gathered in a survey of 763 internet-using adults between June 18 and June 21, 2009.