Most US Internet users have paid for content (SMH)

Despite the belief that most use the Internet merely to browse, research indicates it's a valuable channel for providing digital products.

The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project found 65 percent of those surveyed said they paid to access or download some content.

The survey offers some hope for the Internet as an economic cash generator despite the widespread perception that people only seek free content online.

"The Internet has become a viable distribution channel for a variety of online content, especially in the era of broadband," the report said.

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"What was really surprising was that the percentage of Internet users purchasing online content is nearly the same as those purchasing other products and services, such as books and travel," noted Jim Jansen, the author of the Pew Internet report.

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The survey found a correlation between income levels and paying for online content, with the users in higher-income bracket households more likely to pay for various kinds of content than those from lower-income brackets.