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Rochester, New York — A new national survey shows that gays, lesbians and bisexuals are almost three times more likely to use the Internet to get their political news and updates than heterosexuals.

The poll by Harris Interactive shows that 16% of those who identified themselves as LGBT use the Internet for news while only 6% of straights get the bulk of their news and information from the net.

The survey, conducted for Witeck-Combs Communications which specializes in the gay market, also shows that gays are more likely to use gay-specific websites for travel reservations.

LGBT adults use the Internet slightly more that heterosexuals (22% to 17%) for purchasing consumer products online, but heterosexuals are more likely to use the Internet for hobbies, games and entertainment. 

In another interesting finding, four out of ten gays agreed that advertisements they read online have influenced their purchasing decisions for one product or service over another, while 35% of heterosexual respondents agreed that online advertising had similar influence.

"These findings on the online behavior of gays, lesbians and bisexuals give a new perspective to previous Harris Interactive/Witeck-Combs Communications surveys, which have taught us that GLB people are brand loyal and heavy online users, and that they trust gay-specific tailored outreach when making their purchasing decisions," said Jake Stafford, Senior Communications and Marketing Strategist for Witeck-Combs Communications.

The survey also shows that both gays and straights are about equal in using the Internet for "staying connected with friends and family".

The survey was conducted online between March 18 and 29. 

©365Gay.com® 2004

This article originally appeared on 365gay.com. Republished with permission.

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