Home > Statistics > Use of information and communications technology by individuals > 2011 > Internet use outside home and work becoming more common

Published: 2 November 2011

Internet use outside home and work becoming more common

Corrected on 14 June 2012. The corrections are indicated in red.

The Internet is a daily tool for increasingly more people. According to Statistics Finland’s survey, as many as 89 per cent of those aged 16 to 74 use the Internet and three out of four use it daily. Forty-three per cent of persons entitled to vote used an election engine before the latest elections. Smartphones are purchased most by persons aged under 45 and men, on the other hand.

Prevalence of Internet usage and certain purposes of use in 2011

	Used the Internet in the past 3 months	Uses the Internet usually several times a day	Bought over the Internet in the past 3 months	Followed some social network service in the past 3 months	Uses the Internet with a laptop outside home and workplace	Uses the Internet with a mobile phone in 3G network	Has a smartphone in own use	Used at least one election engine online before the Parliamentary elections
	Percentage of population aged 16–74 years							Percentage of population aged 18–74 years
Aged 16-24	99	73	56	86	26	36	53	63 1)
Aged 25-34	100	80	67	78	35	46	55	66
Aged 35-44	99	76	64	58	36	47	60	58
Aged 45-54	95	60	46	29	30	26	42	41
Aged 55-64	81	41	26	15	18	13	28	30
Aged 65-74	53	23	10	6	11	5	11	16
Men	89	61	44	43	30	39	49	42
Women	88	57	47	46	22	19	35	45
Total	89	59	45	45	26	29	42	45

1) Population aged 18–24 years

The use of the Internet increases particularly in the older age groups. According to the survey on Use of information and communications technology, the share of Internet users among those aged 65 to 74 grew by ten percentage points to 53 per cent. Finland is close to the top in Europe in prevalence of Internet use.

Devices and web connections suitable for using the Internet outside home and work are becoming widespread. Forty-two per cent of Finns had in use a smartphone in spring 2011. Smartphones are purchased most by persons aged under 45 and men, on the other hand. Of all households, 67 per cent had a laptop computer. Thirty-three per cent of households had a wireless broadband connection from their computer to the mobile phone network (3G). In 2010 this share was just 24 per cent.

As smartphones are getting more common, Internet use is growing. From 2009 to 2011, Internet use with a mobile phone in broadband network more than tripled to 29 per cent. Among men the share was 39 per cent and among women 19 per cent.

Internet use when on the move is also becoming more common. Thirty per cent of those aged 16 to 74 used the Internet outside their home and place of work or study in spring 2011. Men use the Internet when on the move more than women do.

The Internet is most used for everyday matters, information search and communication. Nearly every second Finn has made online purchases during the past three months. Attending to matters with public authorities is also common on the web. Fifty-eight per cent of persons aged 16 to 74 had searched for information on public authorities' web pages during the past 12 months and 40 per cent had sent a filled-in form on the Internet.

The Internet has become an established source of information concerning elections. Forty-nine per cent of those aged 16 to 74 had searched for information about the parties and candidates on the web before the Parliamentary elections in spring 2011. Information was most usually searched from the home pages and blogs of the parties and candidates (34%). The newest tool for election campaigns, social network services, were not popular.

An election engine had been used before the elections by 45 per cent of persons aged 18 to 64. Only five per cent of them felt that an election engine had much effect on their selection of the party. For 30 per cent it had some effect. The effect was bigger when selecting the candidate. For 14 per cent the election engine had much effect on the candidate and for 48 per cent it had some effect.

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Source: Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Rauli Kohvakka 09 1734 3448, Perttu Melkas 09 1734 2511, tietoyhteiskunta.info@stat.fi

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

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Updated 14.6.2012