Despite the growth in household internet connections over recent years, there were still 5.7 million households which were without an internet connection. Some householders suggested that specific barriers were preventing them from investing in a household internet connection; for example 19% indicated that equipment costs were too high, while 21% stated that lack of skills prevented them from getting the internet. However, half of those without a household internet connection said they didn't have one because they "don't need the Internet". (Office for National Statistics, August 2011)
More than 19 million households have an internet connection (a 73% share) and broadband penetration has more than doubled since 2005, according to a report by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). UK users spent the equivalent of an entire 24-hour day on the internet in April 2010, an increase of 65% in just three years. Nearly a third of internet users, or 31%, have accessed the internet on their mobile handset, up from 23% in 2009. That share rises to 44% among the users aged 16 to 24. (BCG - The Boston Consulting Group, October 2010)
Gender
The numbers of male and female internet users in the UK were similar, at 20.71 million and 20.54 million respectively in the second quarter of 2011, according to the ONS Internet Access Quarterly Update 2011 Q2 derived from data collected by the Labour Force Survey (LFS).
Men were more likely to have used the internet than women, with 84.6% of men having used it compared with 80.1% of women. There were 1.37 million more women than men who had never used the internet; 5.05 million women compared with 3.68 million men. (Office for National Statistics, August 2011)
Communication and utility are top priorities for women, who use digital devices to stay in touch with friends and family as well as save time and help get their families organized, according to eMarketer. Women are much less likely than men to seek out entertainment or simply pass the time on the internet or mobile phones. When they do go online to relax and unwind, this too has a social context. Women typically share content and experiences with selected friends or other people they know, according to eMarketer.
Online activities of UK internet users, by gender, in 2009 (% of respondents):
- Communication: 76% (male) / 75% (female)
- Work/Studies information: 39% / 32%
- Transactions: 37% / 36%
- Entertainment: 33% / 28%
- Content creation: 28% / 39%
- News: 27% / 16%
- Leisure information: 20% / 14%
- Public/civic: 16% / 11%
- Health: 8% / 7%
Although they make up a majority of the UK population, women are less numerous than men online, with 79% penetration compared with men's 84%, according to Eurostat. Daily usage is high, however, and data from Nielsen indicates engagement is increasing.
Involvement in the social media world, where women's adoption is outpacing men's, is also rising. The UK Office of Communications (Ofcom) found that in 2009, female internet users were 8% points more likely than males to have a social networking site profile, for example.
UK internet users with a social networking site profile, by gender, 2007 & 2009 (% of respondents):
- Total: 22% (2007) / 38% (2009)
- Male: 21% / 34%
- Female: 22% / 42%
Social networks are a primary channel for women online to strengthen existing bonds with friends and family, according to eMarketer. According to data from Universal McCann, women's top activities on social networks in 2009 included managing their own profile and visiting pages or blogs maintained by people they knew. Men, by contrast, were more interested in making new contacts. (eMarketer, January 2010)
Last Updated on Wednesday, 01 February 2012 14:37
