Although e-mail replaces traditional mail and social networking is equal to live communication, most of the internet users prefer traditional resources to those provided by the internet.
MOSCOW, August 20, 2012. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing the preferences of the Internet users: what kind of information they trust more – online resources or traditional sources of information; what kind of resources are in demand – Internet service or traditional ones?
Internet users report that they trust traditional information sources more than online sources. People prefer getting information from friends (73%), rather than surfing online (47%) or reading online comments (48%). Printed media and television are also more reliable sources of information than online media (63 and 70% versus 56%). At the same time, respondents trust social networks (62%), but not people in the streets (54%); printed directories and encyclopedias are more reliable that online encyclopedias (54% versus 57%). Respondents also trust information at official sites of organizations (51%).
The services Russians trust less are online shopping (32%), e-mail subscriptions (30%), bulk email (19%). At the same time, respondents report that TV and radio advertising is less reliable than online advertising (18%). Least reliable information is provided by online dating sites (not more than 12%).
Internet users tend to use offline resources rather than online services. Vivid examples include mass media (traditional TV - 89%; online TV - 36%; traditional radio - 65%, online radio – 30%); press (printed media - 77%, online media – 59%). The same thing can be said about purchases (traditional shops and stores - 83%, online shopping – 42%), online dating (real-world dating - 52%, online dating – 25%), advices (from friends - 75%, forums – 61%), reading books (printed books - 48%, electronic books – 37%), maps (paper maps - 38%, geo services – 25%). As to communicating with people, social networking is slightly behind meetings friends in real life (85% and 92%, respectively).
Some internet resources are even more popular that the traditional ones. For example, e-mail is used more often than traditional mail (76% versus 23%), and online games are as popular as traditional games with friends (43% против 47%).
The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted July 21-22, 2012. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 138 sampling points in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.
Which sources of information do you trust most? (close-ended question, one answer per each position, % of Internet users, shown are percentages of respondents who trust this source of information) | |
Advices of friends (offline) |
73 |
TV and radio news editions
|
70 |
Printed editions (newspapers, magazines)
|
63 |
Social networking sites
|
62 |
Online public encyclopedia (Wikipedia)
|
57 |
Online editions (newspapers, news sites, online TV) | 56 |
Information in printed directories
|
54 |
Unknown people in the streets and public places | 54 |
Information provided by official sites of companies and organizations | 51 |
Online shopping | 32 |
Online customers` comments (not familiar to you)
|
48 |
Online forums, blogs, chats |
47 |
Advertising ((TV, printed media, outdoor) |
31 |
Email newsletters, emailing from companies and online shoppers you are subscribed to |
30 |
Information provided by bulk email |
19 |
Online advertising (contextual, banner ads) |
18 |
Online dating personal profiles |
12 |
Which Internet resources do you use most often? (close-ended question, one answer per each position, shown are percentages of respondents using this resource, % of Internet users)
| How often do you do the following actions (outside of the Internet)? (close-ended question, one answer per each position, shown are percentages doing these actions, % of Internet users) | ||
| Used |
| Done |
Online shopping | 42 | I buy things at shops | 83 |
76 | I write and send letters | 23 | |
Geo services | 25 | I use maps | 38 |
Electronic books | 37 | I read printed books | 48 |
Forums, blogs | 61 | I get advice from my friends | 75 |
Online games | 47 | I play games with my friends | 43 |
Online TV | 36 | I watch TV | 89 |
Online media | 59 | I read printed media | 77 |
Social networking | 85 | I meet friends | 92 |
Online radio | 30 | I listen to the radio | 65 |
Online dating | 25 | I meet new people | 52 |
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!