In a surprising result for many, the number of Brazilians who have access to the Internet has grown to 49 million people, in a population of 189 million, according to a study by the DataFolha poll firm, commissioned by advertising agency F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi.
The new data show a different profile from similar surveys in the past. This time the results indicate that the Internet public in Brazil is substantially bigger than previously thought.
The study reveals that 39% of Brazilians say that they use to access the Web from several places including their home, workplace, friends house and other Internet access points like schools and Internet providers, better known as LAN Houses in Brazil. That would represent 49 million Brazilians age 16 or older.
The age group with the largest number of Internet users is that of youngsters 16 to 24. In this segment 65% have access to the Net. According to the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), there are 127 million Brazilians in that age bracket.
When the population is divided by income, those belonging to the richer strata (A and B classes) have a 69% access rate. 86% of people with a college degree, on the other hand, are habitual Internet surfers.
In southeast Brazil, the percentage of people aged over 16 who use the Internet is 44%. In the north and midwest, it is 37%, and in the south and northeast, 34%. The survey also revealed that Brazilians access the Internet mainly at public places, such as Internet cafés, schools, libraries, and educational institutions.
Questioned as to the habit of uploading content to the Internet, 42% declared that they had already uploaded either a text, a photograph, a song or a movie. The majority of those who upload content – 33% – do so in order to relate to other people and to friends.
Bzz/Anba
