60.4% of the country's citizens aged 16-74 used a computer in the first quarter of last year, while 59.9% of the population also used the Internet.
This results from the survey on the use of information and communication technologies carried out for 2013 by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT).
In particular:
The vast majority of home Internet connections are broadband connections. Since the first quarter of 2012, the largest increase (6.8%) is recorded in the Attica region and the smallest in the Central Greece region (1.5%).
Regarding the country's population and Internet usage:
– More than 6 in 10 men use the Internet, and almost the same proportion occurs among women.
– However, there are significant differences across age groups. More than 9 in 10 16-24 year olds use the Internet, while only 1 in 10 65-74 year olds use it.
– Equally pronounced are the differences observed in population groups of different levels of education. 9 out of 10 of those who have completed a high level of education (TEI, AEI, postgraduate/doctoral), 7 out of 10 of those who have completed a medium level of education (secondary school graduates and vocational training institutes) and slightly more than 2 out of 10 of those with a low level of education (have not completed any level of education, graduates of primary and secondary school, junior technical schools) use the Internet. Regular use of the Internet is considered to be at least once a week and is carried out by 93.3% of those who used the Internet in the first quarter of 2013, a percentage increased by 1.7% compared to 2012 (91.7%).
The risk factors for an individual to be excluded from e-inclusion are:
– Age,
– the level of education,
– the occupation.
Specifically, someone is considered to be at risk of being excluded from electronic/technological integration if:
– Belongs to the age group of 55-74 years (older people are excluded from the survey),
– has not completed any educational level or has completed primary, secondary or lower technical schools,
– is not an employee (unemployed, retired or other cases of non-economically active person).
Specifically, according to the results of the research:
– 29.2% of the population aged 16-74 faces a risk of exclusion from technological integration due to age.
– 34.1% of the population aged 16-74 faces a risk of exclusion from technological integration due to their level of education.
– 49.4% of the population aged 16-74 faces a risk of exclusion from technological integration due to their occupation, specifically because they are not working.
In terms of reasons for using the Internet, searching for information and services remains, as in 2012, at the top of the list of activities carried out via the Internet, with a percentage of 83.4%, while reading news online on websites, newspapers and magazines is the second most frequently performed activity, with a percentage of 77.1%.
Compared to 2012, the largest increase is recorded in the sale of goods or services through auctions by placing advertising on a website such as e-Bay (+47.5%), in making calls or video calls via the internet, using programs such as Skype (+14.2%) and in banking transactions (+7.8%).
Approximately 3 in 10 connect to the Internet on the move (outside their home and workplace), from a portable device. Specifically, 26.7% of the total population aged 16-74 and 44.7% of those who used the Internet in the first quarter of 2013, connected outside their home and workplace, using a mobile phone or smart phone, a portable computer (laptop, notebook, netbook or tablet) or another portable device (PDA, MP3 player, e-book reader, portable game console, etc.), showing an increase of 18.7% and 9.3%, respectively, compared to the first quarter of 2012.
The large increase recorded in the use of wireless networks (WiFi) for Internet connection at home is also recorded for on-the-go use from portable devices.
Relative stability is recorded in the use of e-government services, as 4 out of 10 people, aged 16-74, used e-government services for personal use during the period April 2012 – March 2013. These services include every transaction of citizens with public services via the internet, for personal use.
In particular, transactions regarding citizens' obligations (tax return, etc.), official documents (police ID, birth certificate, etc.), education services (public libraries, information and registration in schools or higher and higher educational institutions), public health services (scheduling appointments, issuing medical certificates, hospitalisation or patient examination certificates, etc.).
Finally, with regard to e-commerce, it is observed that 3 out of 10 people, aged 16-74, who have ever used the Internet, made an electronic purchase or order of goods or services during the first quarter of 2013.
The products or services purchased or ordered via the internet, mainly for personal use, were:
– Clothing and footwear - sportswear 36.2%
– Travel services (tickets, car rental, etc.) 27.8%.
– Electronic devices (video cameras, cameras, mobile phones, televisions, DVDs, etc.) 24.9%.
– Household goods (furniture, toys, art supplies, electrical household appliances, etc.) 21.4%.
– Tickets for events (concerts, theater performances, cinemas, etc.) 21.1%.
– Accommodation in accommodations (hotels, rooms, apartments, etc.) 20.3%.
Source: kathimerini.gr
