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Women Overtake Men Online

Women's web usage beats men's, UK study says

By Sam Biddle,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 23, 2007 5:54 PM CDT

(Newser) – British women aged 25 to 49 are spending more time online than men for the first time ever, a significant shift that may reverberate across the Web, the Guardian reports. The stereotype of youth ruling cyberspace also takes a hit in a new study—people over 65 average 42 hours a month online, compared to 35 for teens.

"It's a big shift and has implications for the kind of content that content providers want to have," one researcher says of women's growing presence. The trend among Brits, Europe's largest and most active internet population, reflects a much wider demographic shift online. In just 5 years, online hours have doubled as TV watching and radio listening have dropped.

Ever since it kicked off in the early 90s the web has been male-dominated. For the first time this year women are spending more time on the internet than men, says Peter Phillips, a marketing strategist for Ofcom.
"Ever since it kicked off in the early 90s the web has been male-dominated. For the first time this year women are spending more time on the internet than men," says Peter Phillips, a marketing strategist...   (Shutterstock.com)
Women aged 25-34 spend more time online than men in the same age group.
Women aged 25-34 spend more time online than men in the same age group.   (Shutterstock.com)
Women in that age group are also more likely to be at home and have more time to spend online, says the watchdog's director of research, James Thickett.
"Women in that age group are also more likely to be at home and have more time to spend online," says the watchdog's director of research, James Thickett.   (Index Open)
One thing tipping the demographic balance is the popularity of social networking sites among teenaged girls.
One thing tipping the demographic balance is the popularity of social networking sites among teenaged girls.   (Shutterstock.com)
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