Young women take over the web

Young women are now the most dominant group online, accounting for nearly a fifth of the internet population in the UK.

NetRatings found that 18 per cent of active online Brits were females aged between 18 and 34 in a recent survey. However, the genders are just about equally balanced overall, with 50.5 per cent of the online population made up of men and 49.5 per cent women.

There are also more people aged 50 or over on the internet than there are children under the age of 18. Under 18s are also the least active online age group overall.

Alex Burmaster of NetRatings said, "The internet is no longer dominated by young male adults. Times have changed considerably and many will be very surprised to see that women aged 18-34 are now the most prevalent group online and that a quarter of the online population is at least 50 years of age."

Burmaster said that this shift indicated a significant change in the internet and would dictate the kind of content and advertising we would see online in the future.

"There is little doubt we are entering a new era of the internet. The results of the research, showing young adult women now account for 27 per cent more of total UK computer time than their male counterparts, indicates how the internet landscape is shifting; a shift which is sure to send shockwaves through the entire online industry."

http://www.netratings.com/

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