One of the defining characteristics of digital media is interaction. It enables us to be active, make choices, build connections, express ourselves and exercise a new level of control over our media experiences.

But how active is the UK online population really? And how might this change in years to come?

With these questions in mind, my team and I conducted a large-scale, long-term investigation into how the UK online population participates using digital media today - from sharing links, to writing blogs and uploading photos. And it revealed a fascinating, and at times, surprising picture.

1. The model which has guided many people's thinking in this area, the 1/9/90 rule, is outmoded. The number of people participating online is significantly higher than 10%.
2. Participation is now the rule rather than the exception: 77% of the UK online population is now active in some way.
3. This has been driven by the rise of 'easy participation': activities which may have once required great effort but now are relatively easy, expected and every day. 60% of the UK online population now participates in this way, from sharing photos to starting a discussion.
4. Despite participation becoming relatively 'easy', almost a quarter of people (23%) remain passive - they do not participate at all.
5. Passivity is not as rooted in digital literacy as traditional wisdom may have suggested. 11% of the people who are passive online today are early adopters. They have the access and the ability but are choosing not to participate.
6. Digital participation now is best characterised through the lens of choice. These are the decisions we take about whether, when, with whom and around what, we will participate. Because participation is now much more about who we are, than what we have, or our digital skill.

Through these insights we have developed a new model of digital participation: The Participation Choice.

The model of Participation Choice identifies four key forms: passive, easy reaction, easy initiation and intense participation. These are illustrated in the graphic below and discussed in more detail in the talk I'm giving at the BBC Online Industry Briefing today. As with my previous briefings (Beyond the Screens and Changing Audience Behaviours), the video of my presentation will be available for all to view on the BBC Internet Blog, next week.

The Participation Choice of 7,500 UK adult online users surveyed over 18 months from September 2010.

Together, these insights help us at the BBC think anew about both the nature and the potential of digital participation - and pivotally, inform how the BBC creates the most rewarding programmes, products and services for our audiences.

Methodological note: the Participation Choice is a synthesis of primary and secondary research conducted over the past 18 months. The data published today are all taken from the most recent, large scale survey of 7,500 UK adults - representative of the UK online population.

Holly Goodier is the Head of Audiences, BBC Future Media.

The Participation Choice BBC Online Spring Briefing is available as a PDF download.

Read Jem Stone's post 'Radio 1 and Digital Participation' over on the Radio blog.

At the last event in June we highlighted three themes: enduring experiences, dispersed attention and easy participation.  In Salford last week, the focus was on audience relationships with the four screens.

Here is a film of my presentation, "Beyond the Screens":

Holly Goodier is the Head of Audiences, BBC Future Media

Holly Goodier shares insights into media consumption discussed under each context: attachment, intent, ability, people and time #BBCOnline

The presentation includes short interviews, in which people talk about their relationship with the four screens.

Gareth Langley of Stardotstar noted another reason for not calling tablets "second screens" (BBC Research and Development use the term "companion device"):

showing vox pops about people's relationship with TV. some viewers saying that the TV is the 2nd screen... #BBConline

Glyn Povah of Telefonica UK was struck by one young man's attachment to his mobile phone:

Mobile Phone it's my life...like an extra limb....like my heart #BBCOnline

And Mike Dicks of PACT repeated just how ubiquitous mobiles have become:

#bbconline 97% of homes have TV's and 130% of people have a mobile phone

Holly talked about how different people use different devices at different times, as Jon Howard, a BBC Children's developer team leader, tweeted:

@swingpants: Smartphone ~> Comedy, Console ~> Kid/Family, Tablet ~> Arts. Holly Goodies, Audiences #bbconline

Frank, a digital agency, summed the demographic insights up made a (not entirely accurate) joke about some of the insights in the presentation:

#BBConline briefing. Turns out that tablets are mostly used by wealthy men to watch factual and arts programmes at home in the evening.

(Tweets added by Ian McDonald; corrected 14:15 Nov 22)

From indie RY, @richardcoope called the talk "simply brilliant" :

@richardcoope Holly Goodier, Head of Audiences, on 'Enduring experiences','Dispersed attention' & 'Easy participation' :-) #BBCOnline 17 Jun

Several commentators had expected on-demand viewing to make bigger inroads into watching programmes when they were broadcast:

@caroledunlop Wow, would have thought this wuld be higher. #BBCOnline 9% of TV is time-shifted says Holly Goodier, Head of Audiences. 17 Jun