Women are overtaking men on the information highway

In the past few years, women have been overtaking men in many age groups as users of the mobile phone, Internet and email. Men are still ahead in only the oldest age groups. This is revealed by a Statistics Finland research report entitled A great migration to the information society? Patterns of ICT diffusion in Finland in 1996-2002.

In 1996, distinctly more men than women had a mobile phone in their own use. More than half of the men born in 1962-1976 had a mobile phone in their own use, whereas with women, mobile phone users only made a significant proportion among the age group of those born 1967-1976.

Adoption of the mobile phone spread rapidly up to the year 1999. The growth of the popularity of the mobile phone was explosive especially among the women born in 1977-1981, of whom 80 per cent acquired one in 1996-1999. Even of the men of this age group 70 per cent acquired a mobile phone for their own use.

The speed at which Internet use grew in 1996-2002 almost matched that of mobile phone adoption. Especially the proportion of women who use the Internet increased very rapidly. Although some of this is explained by increased use of the Internet at work, motivation for its use during free time was also evident. Internet use is less widespread among the older age groups. Down to the group of those born in 1947-1951, women are more active Internet users than men.

Women have overtaken men in the use of email. Whereas in 1996 the overwhelming majority of email users were men born in 1961-1971, by 2002 women in several age groups right down to those born in 1947-1951 used email more than men did. The three youngest age groups were the most active Internet and email users irrespective of gender.

Regional differences in the use of new information and communications technologies have narrowed. Noteworthy regional differences can only be detected among small households. Whereas in the capital region almost one small household in two is online, in rural areas only one in five are connected to the Internet. Most of this difference is explained by the older ages and lower incomes of the small households in rural areas.

These data derive from a report on the results of extensive interview surveys concerning the use of information and communications technologies Statistics Finland has been conducting since 1996. The report examines the adoption of new information and communications technologies by age groups of their users at several points of time since 1996. This has enabled comparisons between age cohorts in the adoption of these innovations and exposed the spearheading user groups and those that trail behind them.

Women who have used the Internet in 1996 and 2002 as percentage of year of birth cohort

Men who have used the Internet in 1996 and 2002 as percentage of year of birth cohort

Source: A Great Migration to the Information Society; Patterns of ICT diffusion in Finland in 1996-2002. Reviews 2003:1. Statistics Finland.