U.s. Department of Commerce

Digital Nation: Expanding Internet Usage U.s. Department of Commerce

The Internet is an extraordinary platform for innovation, economic growth, and social communication. It has become the backbone of a global digital infrastructure and an integral part of the information economy. Statistical reports on job growth and retail sales show the importance of the Internet economy. Between 1998 and 2008, the number of domestic information technology jobs grew 26 percent?four times faster than employment in the United States as a whole. Moreover, global online transactions currently total an estimated $10 trillion annually.