Symantec have today released their 2009 report into life online (you know, that thing we do between interruptions).
Nearly seven in 10 online adults say that the Internet has improved their relationships.
And it’s no wonder: those who have friends online have an average of approximately 41 online friends, 49 percent have a social networking page, and 24 percent sometimes share secrets online. In fact, the Internet has become such a central vehicle for communication and connection that about six in 10 online adults say they could not live without it (I’m one of them!)
Indeed, 92% of Australians believe that the benefits of the Internet outweigh the risks.
Key findings of this highly-readable and well-designed report include:
- Can technology buy you love? 7 out of 10 adults across the world say the internet has improved their relationships (but not in Australia, where nearly 60% say it has not improved it – Mrs BetterComms would agree with that)
- Do you know where your kids are online? 6 out of 10 parents feel that kids spend too much time online and they only know the half of it – online is the new hangout for kids! In Australia, for example, over half the parents think their kids spend between 1-25 hours per
weekmonth online, where the reality is a staggering 49 hours perweekmonth – and Aussie kids believe that they don’t spend enough time online! - So you think you are secure? 99% of adults globally think they are secure online, yet 14% of adults in Australia have been hacked and 1 in 3 have lost valuable data
Aligned with that are some equally interesting stats, such as half of online adults use webcams and social media, and nearly a quarter of the online population use Twitter or similar micro-blogging platforms. With Twitter’s online growth averaging 33% month-on-month I don’t think it will be long before that figure reaches 50%…
Great quote: “My fiancé and I lived in the same neighbourhood for 10 years but never crossed paths until we ‘met’ online. It took an online dating site to bring us together.” – Female, 28, United Kingdom
The kids are alright
In what can only be described as a welcome snub to Senator Conroy’s nonsense about the Australian Federal Government needing to be the Nanny for our children’s online behaviour, the report highlights that parents themselves are very willing to accept responsibility for monitoring their children’s online activities, and enforcing family rules where necessary.
- 7 in 10 kids have rules for using the Internet; and parents and kids concur that they are following the rules 80% of the time
- 70% of parents are now talking to their kids about online safety (up 20% from last year)
- 90% of parents worldwide see that it’s their responsibility to keep their kids safe online
“While technology may buy you love, only you can keep yourself and your family safe online,” said Janice Chaffin, group president of Symantec’s Consumer Business Unit. “The Internet has become a regular part of our daily lives and has created unprecedented opportunities to connect — from ‘Webcaming’ with grandma, to texting with classmates, to rekindling old flames. These survey results are an especially important reminder for parents to know where their kids are — whether online or offline.”
In a seeming disparity with the recent Nielsen-Online report [pdf, opens in new browser window] which showed that the internet has replaced tv as the most-consumed medium (and perhaps reflective of demographic differences between the two surveys and therefore not necessarily a contradiction), Norton found that the trusty old telly is still the number one ‘habit’ of teenagers (my own stepkids would probably rather watch me die than give up their Home and Away, %
