Emailing and chatting most popular internet activities

In 2005 over four out of five people in the Netherlands had internet access. The internet access was mainly used for mailing, chatting and searching for information. Also popular were commercial activities such as telebanking and online shopping.

One in five has never used the internet

In 2005 about 83 percent of the Dutch population had internet access, 60 percent of the Dutch population via broadband. Still, over 2 million people aged between 12 and 75 (17 percent) never used the internet. Especially less well educated people aged between 55 and 75 made no use of the internet. In 2005 two thirds of them had never used the internet.

Communication and searching for information are favourites

Internet is mainly used as a means of communication and for looking up information. This is what about 90 percent of the people did who used the internet at some point in the 3 months prior to the survey.
Communication was mainly done through email. Moreover, 40 percent chatted. Among young people aged between 15 and 25 the share of chatters was twice as high. Some 6 percent of the users made telephone calls via the internet. Looking up information mainly consisted of information on goods and using travel services.

Telebanking also major activity

In 2005 there were many commercial activities via the internet, especially by people aged 25-35. Almost 60 percent of the people who had used the internet in the months before the survey, had done telebanking during that period and almost half said they had bought or sold goods through the internet.

Internet activities by type, 2005

Most internet users shop online

Almost 60 percent of internet users has ordered or bought goods at some point through the internet. Half of the internet users did so in the year before the survey. The purchases were mainly literature, holidays, software/hardware and electronic necessities. Clothing and sport articles were also frequently bought this way.

Online purchases by type, 2005

Older people order more books and holidays

Older people on average have more spare time and more money than young people. This is also true for older people using the internet. Relatively speaking literature and holidays are bought more through the internet by people over 55, whereas young people bought more clothes and sports gear through the internet.

Ger Linden