FITUG e.V.
Förderverein Informationstechnik und Gesellschaft
FITUG e.V.Förderverein Informationstechnik und Gesellschaft |
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CORDIS RTD-NEWS/c European Communities, 1999.
Record Control Number: 13313
Date: 1999-07-22
Category: Miscellaneous
General Information:
The number of Internet users in Europe doubled in just one year between 1997 and 1998, according to the Eurobarometer survey: 'Measuring Information Society 1998'.
The survey shows a growing interest among European citizens in new information technology (IT) applications, although a strong North South divide was revealed in terms of access to and interest in information technologies.
Over 8.3 % of private households in the EU, an estimated 27 million people, have Internet access, compared with 4.4 % in 1997. However the survey shows significant disparities between the North and South. In Sweden Internet access stands at 39.6 % compared to only 2.9 % in Greece. And an average of 13.3% of Europeans use the Internet at work.
Personal computers feature in 30.8 % of European homes. Sweden tops the list again with 59.8 % usage, compared to 12.2 % in Greece. Mobile telephones have been adopted by 30.2 % of Europeans, the main users being Finland (64.4 %) and Sweden (60.3 %).
A high level of interest was shown in on-line contacts with municipal administrations, in particular the possibility of accessing and downloading administrative documents. On-line travel booking, health advice, electronic job searches, tele-learning and on-line purchasing were among the favourite services, with only 11 % interested in on-line contacts with politicians.
However there was a substantial percentage who showed little interest in Internet services. Of the people who responded 55 % said they saw no need for such services in their private lives, 24.2 % considered the services too expensive, 21.5 % do not have the right equipment and 18.2 % said they found it too complicated.
Data Source Provider: European Commission DG XIII and RAPID
Document Reference: European Commission DG XIII and RAPID
Subject Index Codes: Information Processing, Information Systems
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