Unlike in the real world, where the differences between men and women are often... unbridgeable, in the digital world, those that separate the two sexes seem to be much smaller. At least that's what research suggests, the data of which comes from the United Nations database and Eurostat.
In 2003, 19% of men in Greece used the internet, with the corresponding percentage for women standing at 13%. The situation has not changed much over time, with 64% of Greek men and 56% of Greek women surfing online in 2013.
As it has become known, differences, albeit small, exist in the way the two sexes use the internet. These differences are particularly evident when we talk about electronic games, videos and music, areas where men are more active than women. On the other hand, women use social networking sites more than men.
According to Kyriaki G. Giota, a doctoral candidate in Psychology at the University of Thessaly, "research in the field of cyberpsychology shows differences between the sexes in internet use, but also in the way they perceive online risks.".
"Women use social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, more for social interaction, while men focus more on online gaming, online shopping, information search and social support. Although each online environment presents its own risks, men seem to be more vulnerable online, because they seem to take - as in the real world - more risks than women, downplaying the possibility of "falling" victims, as well as the severity of the consequences," he explains.
Overall, we can say that both genders are active on social media. People are social beings and seek contact with others, both in real life and online. However, women are more active on these sites. For them, communication with others is more important than opportunities for direct competition. Social networking sites perfectly satisfy this need.
At the same time, a recent survey by Kaspersky Lab among users from across Europe confirms that there are differences between the two genders when it comes to the consequences of being "infected" by malware.
At a rate of 17%, men admitted to having suffered financial losses due to malware, while the corresponding rate for women reaches 14%.
Additionally, 16% of men said that unwanted software was installed on their computer when they downloaded music, software, videos, etc. Similar situations have been faced by 11% of women. At the same time, 19% of men believe that online money theft is a rare phenomenon and that it is unlikely that they will face it. On the contrary, only 13% of women agreed with this statement.
“Both men and women need to understand what they are doing online and what they need to be aware of for their digital security,” said Dragan Martinovic, Executive Director of Kaspersky Lab for the Southeast Europe region
"Since women use social media more, they should, for example, pay more attention to phishing attacks targeting Facebook users. Men who frequently visit gaming, music or video sites should be aware of the dangers of drive-by downloads," he added.
Source: zougla.gr
