What Does Browsing Mean?
Browsing is the act of looking through a set of information quickly, without a specific sense of purpose. In the context of the internet, it usually refers to using the world wide web. The term may imply a sense of aimlessness, with the user just wasting time on the internet.
Techopedia Explains Browsing
Browsing in the context of the internet typically means using a web browser. This can be with a specific purpose, such as using email or updating one’s status on a social media site, or just using the web with no purpose in particular, as in, “Oh, I’m just browsing.”
One advantage of hypertext systems like the world wide web is that it lets users find information without specifically looking at it, the way they might find a new book to read by looking at a library’s bookshelves. Browsing is typically contrasted with more methodical search strategies, such as using advanced options in a search engine.
The term “browsing” can also be applied to other hypertext systems, such as help systems or the earlier Gopher protocol.
