About as unsurprising as scientific research that several hot dogs each day might not be nutritionally advantageous, Nielsen has produced evidence that young people --- as in children --- are streaming video online like it's no one's business.
With no context of an Internet-less world to confound them, children under the age of 12 are downloading video and watching it with no real apprehension, concern or comparables. Their average take: 51 streams and 118 minutes a month. More surprises: Disney is the main beneficiary.
The 12-17 cohort is hardly shy, either: 74.2 streams and 132.4 minutes a month. The 18 and older set still seem to like the TV: 44.3 streams, 99.6 minutes.
The significance of this is that a wave of Internet fanatics is on its way and screen content is bound to be seen more often with a CPU than an HDTV. While advertisers can't yet capitalize, their time will come.
The Center for Media Research collected some of Nielsen's findings and housed them here.