3. Internet usage

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Home internet usage. Source: ComReg Trends Series Q4 2006, research by Amárach published March 2007

In Ireland, one person in five uses the Web to share personal content such as photographs, artwork, video and stories.

Bebo is reported to be the hottest content sharing site, with a 23% usage level, compared with 8% for MySpace. Among 15 to 24-year-olds, Bebo’s share is 48% and MySpace’s 11%.

As broadband levels rise, so too does time spent online and the diversity of online activities. A third of Irish people say they use the Web each day, while a further 42% say they use it several times a week.

Email continues to be the most popular activity, with 65% of the sample for the ComReg quarterly trends survey saying they use it. But the survey also reported greater participation in other activities. For instance the survey respondents say:

•    25% download podcasts
•    17% have used Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
•    22% read blogs
•    15% have created either web pages or blogs

Back to contents of State of the Net issue 5