Family Dominates Net User Landscape

Families and teenagers are the fastest growing groups of users on the Internet, according to figures released Friday by Sydney-based research group Media Metrix.

The firm found greatest Internet penetration with 12-17 year olds, with more than 46 percent going online in the past month. This compared with 36 percent penetration with 18-24 year olds, and 35 per cent penetration with 35-44 year olds.

Households of four or more people accounted for 62 percent of Internet access. Media Metrix chief executive David Stewart-Hunter attributed this proportion to teenagers driving the entire family’s Internet use.

While more people are accessing email from work as well, the research found that most browsing was done from home, with 63 percent of respondents having residential Internet access.

The random survey of 3000 people will be a regular feature of Media Metrix’s research. “Our main purpose in this survey was to get an accurate and up to date measure of the profile of Web users at home and at work,” said Stewart-Hunter.

“We shall be repeating it every three months in order to ensure that our panel continuously reflects changes in the make-up of the Internet population.”