Most of users visit the Internet for professional or academic purposes. Russians also find it hard to do without listening to their favorite music, watching movies and socializing with friends.
MOSCOW, September 20, 2018. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a survey providing the share of Russian Internet users and describing why Russians surf the global network.
At the moment, the percentage of the Internet users in Russia is quite high: 81% of respondents use the Internet to a certain extent, including 65% of daily users, 14% of those who surf the Internet several times a week or a month, and 2%, very rarely. The most active users are respondents aged 18-24 (97% use it on a daily basis), respondents with high level of education (78%) with high income (72%), Muscovites and Petersburgers (76%). Nineteen percent of respondents do not use any Internet resources.
So why do Russians need the Internet? Forty-four percent of respondents use the Internet for professional or academic purposes (68% of the 18-24-year-olds; 56% of those with high level of education). This percentage has increased by 7 p.p. over the recent four years (37% in 2014). Forty-two percent of respondents are interested in media resources containing music, movies and books. Top three most common activities also include emailing (37%). More than one-third of respondents (36%) use the Internet on a daily basis to broaden their mind (an increase from 28% in 2014 to 36% in 2018). A further 35% of users get updates on global and national news.
Fewer Russians socialize with friends via social networking websites (a decrease from 31% in 2014 to 28% in 2018) and search for new friends who have similar interests (a decrease from 16% to 4%). Based on the survey data, the share of online gamers has dramatically declined. For the time being, 9% are fond of online games (a decrease from 18% in 2014).
Every day 2% of respondents do online shopping (vs 7% in 2014). Two percent also say that they visit adult websites from time to time. And finally, downloading software and blogging are the least popular online activities (1%, for each).
The VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on September 17, 2018. The survey involved 1,600 Russians aged 18 and over. The survey was telephone-based and was carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
Do you use the Internet; if yes, how often? (closed-ended question, one answer % of total respondents) | ||||||||||
| Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and more | Elementary (incomplete secondary) education | Secondary education (school, vocational school) | Specialized secondary education (technical school) | Incomplete higher (not less than three years in a higher education institution), higher education |
I spend more than 4 hours on the Internet every day | 24 | 71 | 41 | 24 | 14 | 5 | 30 | 19 | 20 | 28 |
I use the Internet every day, less than 4 hours a day | 41 | 26 | 45 | 55 | 42 | 31 | 29 | 31 | 37 | 50 |
Several times a week | 11 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 13 | 10 |
Several times a month | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
Occasionally, but not less than once every 6 months | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
I do not use it | 19 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 18 | 49 | 32 | 35 | 23 | 8 |
How often do you use the following activities on the Internet? (closed-ended question, one answer % of those who use the Internet; answers of respondents who use the Internet almost every day) | ||
| 2014 | 2018 |
I use the Internet for academic/professional purposes | 37 | 44 |
I listen to music, watch movies, read books, et cet. | 34 | 42 |
I exchange e-mails | 37 | 37 |
I search for the information I need; I broaden my mind | 28 | 36 |
I follow news, global and national events | 34 | 35 |
I communicate with other users via chats, forums, social networks, Skype , etc. | 31 | 28 |
I play games | 18 | 9 |
I search for friends with similar interests | 16 | 4 |
I buy online | 7 | 2 |
I browse adult websites | 5 | 2 |
I search and download software | 9 | 1 |
I keep an online diary (blog) | 4 | 1 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!