Citizens and the ICTs

In Italy strong inequalities at the territorial level still persist as regards ICT usage. For example, in 2011 in the North about 60% of households own a PC and about 57% have Internet access at home, while in the South of Italy the percentages are, respectively around 53% and 48%.

Gender differences have gradually mitigated: if in 2005 women using the Internet were little more than a quarter (26,9%)%), in 2011 they are almost half (46.7%), while men quota moved from 37.1% to 56.6%.

Internet users during last the three months have used the net mostly to send or to receive e-mails (80,7%) and to search for information on goods and services (68,2%). Compared to 2010, the quotas of those who use the Internet to read online news or newspapers, to inquire on goods and services, to get health information grows (+7%, +5,4% and +5% respectively).

26,3% of the individuals aged 14 and over who have surfed the Web during the last 12 months shopped on line. Among the top ranking of goods and services purchased via the Web, the expenses for travel and accommodation and accommodations for vacation gained the first positions.

The amount of persons aged 14 and over who have surfed the Net to interact with public authorities, to look for information on websites of public authorities, remains almost constant, despite a very light decrease due to the corresponding increase in the number of Internet users.

Most of the PC users are able to copy or move a file (85,4%) or copy information inside a document (85,1%), while only 13,7% are able to write a program and 28,1% can install a new operating system or replace an operating system.

Almost all the internet users aged 6 and over can use a search engine (94,2%) and a very high share can send an email whit attachments. Over half of the Internet users can send messages via chat, newsgroup o blog (52,7%) and 41,3% is able to post texts, games, pictures, illustrations, films or music, onto social networking websites.

Internet users have mostly learned how to use the Internet by doing (75,9%), or with the help from colleagues, relatives and friends (68,7%).

For more details please refer to the Italian version.