A new survey released by the Pew Internet and American Life Project suggests that 48% of Internet users are now using video sharing sites such as YouTube on a regular basis. This number is up 45% from a 33% share that was recorded by the organization in a similar study in December 2006.

The Pew Internet and American Life Project believes that the growth can be attributed to increased usage of such sites among men, younger adults (those under age 30), and college graduates. Nearly a third of young adults with an Internet connection (30%) and one fifth of online men (20%) do the same watch a video on a typical day.

However, the growth of video usage jumped throughout all demographic groups. The organization found that 11% of women watch online videos on any typical day, 14% of 30-49 year olds and 13% of high school graduates now go to sites such as YouTube.

The growth is also believed to be linked to the availability of broadband connections. In the 2006 survey, 45% of all American adults said they had broadband at home and in this most recent survey, 54% of all adults have high-speed connections at home.

2054 American adults participated in this latest Pew Internet and American Life Project survey.