In case dealing with Internet security issues and staying current with Internet technology is not enough to worry about, a new study out of the UK suggests that using the Internet can reduce your intelligence.

The study, sponsored by Hewlett Packard, finds that two-thirds of adults are “addicted” to checking their email and electronic messages, even outside office hours and on holidays. Half of those surveyed will respond to email within 60 minutes, and one in five are happy to interrupt a business or social meeting to respond to email or phone messages.

The study characterizes this messaging addition as “info-mania”. The most worrisome finding of the study, though, is the effect that “info-mania” has on workers’ measured intelligence.

Offsite Link: Does using the Internet reduce your intelligence?

Phishing and other cyber attacks are undermining consumer confidence in online commerce, according to a recent Gartner report. These cyber attacks may also have a direct effect on the growth of ecommerce.

Three out of every four online shoppers surveyed said they are more cautious about where they buy goods online, and one out of three reports buying fewer items than they otherwise would, because of security concerns.

“Companies need to take steps quickly to beef up online security,” states Gartner’s Avivah Litan. “Businesses cannot rely on the Internet to lower costs and improve marketing efforts indefinitely if consumer trust continues to decline.”

Offsite Link: Cyber attacks hindering growth of ecommerce

Podcasting is moving from being a niche technology for the tech-savvy to being a mainstream way of accessing Internet content. More than 6 million American adults have listened to podcasts, according to Pew Internet.

Podcasting is a technology for synchronizing content between a server and computers and portable media players. The term “podcasting” was popularized by former MTV VJ Adam Curry, who, along with RSS innovator Dave Winer, acted as a catalyst in the growth of podcasting. Most podcasts are audio shows in MP3 format, but many people are experimenting with using podcasting technology to distribute and synchronize video content and other types of electronic documents.

Just as blogging was a threshold technology that brought web publishing to anyone with an Internet connection, podcasting promises to let Internet users deliver audio, video and other content to portable media player owners around the world.

Offsite Link: Podcasting takes off