Nielsen says people spend more time on social networks, blogs than a year ago

Nielsen: People spending more time on social sites

NEW YORK — Americans have been devoting 17 percent of all their Internet time to social networks like Facebook and blogging Web sites like Blogger.

The percentage for last month is up from 6 percent a year earlier.

The report comes from Nielsen Co. and follows its decision to team up with Facebook on a marketing program that helps advertisers measure how well their ads work on the online hangout.

Nielsen estimates that ad spending on leading social-network and blogging sites more than doubled year-over-year, to about $108 million for the month. This happened even as several industries decreased their overall ad spending.