High segment of Indians dependent on Internet - Survey

Mangalore Today News Network

October, 04, 2014:  A higher than average  number of Indians are caught in the ‘Fear of Missing Out’ (FOMO) when not connected to the internet, while many say that they cannot survive more than few hours without access to the internet, a new survey has claimed.

 

Forty-six per cent of Indian respondents of a survey said they spent six hours or more a day actively using the Internet while an alarming 82 per cent of respondents admit to FOMO when not connected, the highest globally. The survey — The Connected World — was conducted by Tata Communications among 9,417 people in six countries, including 2,117 in India.

The percentage of FOMO among Indians is very large compared to 29 per cent globally, indicating a growing Internet dependency in India.  Though Indian men spend more time on the internet than women, it is Indian women (21 per cent ) who outdo men (16 per cent) in feeling anxious or lost when not connected to the internet.

Internet is also becoming a new form of entertainment for Indians with 43 per cent of those surveyed willing to give up watching television for Internet, as compared to 17 per cent American and 22 per cent European respondents.  Among Indians, 23 per cent  were willing to sacrifice chocolates for Internet, 19 per cent alcohol and 10 per cent sports, for Internet.

The survey also showed that only half of the respondents accurately identify where the Internet resides, ie in the network connected data centers, while 82 per cent do not know that the fastest mode of Internet delivery to their devices is through sub-sea cables.

However, Indians have an edge over their global counterparts when it comes to their understanding of the Internet with around 30 per cent stating that sub-sea cables are the fastest way to deliver the Internet, compared to 18 per cent globally. Moreover, 60 per cent of surveyed Indians identify network connected data centers as the correct source of the Internet, compared to 51 per cent globally.

Majority of online consumers have a false belief in Internet’s of infinite capacity but Indians are more skeptical about its limitless capabilities, it said. While 72 per cent in the US believe in the infinite capacity of internet, only 52 per cent has such convictions.

The study also showed that Asian respondents appear to be the most “Internet dependent” with less than half of surveyed Singaporeans and Indians capable of lasting up to 12 hours without Internet access compared to 86 per cent of German, 77 per cent of French, 75 per cent of US and 70 per cent of UK respondents.  So, what do you think?