This special topic poll, fielded January 27-February 2, 1999, queried respondents on their attitudes regarding the Internet. Through a telephone survey, respondents were asked a series of questions about their awareness of, access to, understanding of, and usage of computers, electronic mail, the Internet, and online services. Those queried were asked whether their contact with this technology was limited or extensive and for work or personal use, whether computers and the Internet create or solve problems, whether the Internet brings people together or isolates them, and whether news and information obtained through the Internet is reliable. A series of questions sought respondents' experiences using the Internet to obtain the latest financial and sports news, product information, travel information, and entertainment information, to purchase products or travel tickets, to make hotel reservations, and to watch shows, play games, and visit adult entertainment sites. Respondents were asked about their knowledge of and experiences with the websites and online services of ESPN, Barnes and Noble, E-bay, Merrill Lynch, Amazon.com, E-trade, CBS.Marketwatch.com, AOL.com, Sportsline, Yahoo, CNN-F-N, and C-NET. Those queried were asked a series of questions about stock market investments and the Internet, including whether they had bought or traded stocks through the Internet, the speed of those transactions, and how frequently they checked their investments through online services. A series of questions addressed the use of electronic mail (e-mail), including frequency of use, whether email makes keeping in touch with others easier, whether the respondent had communicated through this media with someone they had never met in person and, for those not currently using the service, whether they felt left out. Further questions focused on respondents' computer skills, including the age at which the respondent first encountered computers and the Internet, their comfort level with this technology, and whether the lack or presence of computer skills had ever aided them in, or prevented them from, obtaining a job. Additional topics covered the importance of the Internet to school-age children, whether the Internet plays a major role in their daily activities, the presence of advertising on websites, and concern over the theft of personal information, child access to inappropriate information on the Internet, and the Y2K bug. The results of this survey were announced on the CBS website CBS.Marketwatch.com. Background information on respondents includes age, race, sex, education, religion, marital status, employment status, Hispanic origin, political party, political orientation, voter registration and participation history, age of children in household, family income, Internet and computer access, and measures taken to prevent child access to inappropriate Internet sites.

This special topic poll, fielded September 29-October 3, 1999, queried respondents on their attitudes regarding the Internet and the stock market. Through a telephone survey, respondents were asked a series of questions about their awareness of, access to, understanding of, and usage of computers, electronic mail, the Internet, and online services. Those queried were asked whether their contact with this technology was limited or extensive and for work or personal use, whether computers and the Internet created or solved problems, whether the Internet had an adverse effect on interpersonal communication, and whether the Internet was important to work and personal productivity. A series of questions probed for respondents' experiences using the Internet to obtain the latest financial and sports news, product information, and travel information, to purchase products or travel tickets, to make hotel reservations, and to search and/or apply for a job. Respondents were asked about their knowledge of and experiences with the websites and online services of E-bay, Amazon.com, E-trade, CBS.Marketwatch.com, AOL.com, Yahoo, Sidewalk.com, and Priceline.com. Respondents were also queried about stock market investments and the Internet, including whether they had bought or traded stocks through the Internet, how frequently they checked their investments through online services, and whether they owned stock in Internet companies. Further questions focused on the future of the stock market, extending the stock market trading day to 24 hours, day traders' knowledge of the stock market and their influence on it, whether many people are getting rich off the Internet, purchasing holiday gifts online, and the possibility of year 2000 (Y2K) computer-related problems. Respondent views were also sought on the upcoming 2000 presidential election, including the Democratic and Republican primaries/caucuses. Respondents were asked for whom they intend to vote: Vice President Al Gore, former New Jersey senator Bill Bradley, Texas governor George W. Bush, Arizona senator John McCain, publisher Steve Forbes, conservative commentator Pat Buchanan, Family Research Council President Gary Bauer, talk show host Alan Keyes, Utah senator Orrin Hatch, or former American Red Cross president Elizabeth Dole. The results of this survey were announced on the CBS website CBS.Marketwatch.com. Background information on respondents includes age, sex, race, Hispanic descent, political party, political orientation, voter registration and participation history, education, religion, marital status, employment status, age of children in household, and family income.