Britons admit they just can’t live without home internet

Domestic web connection joins holidays, mobile phones and fridge-freezer among necessities of modern life, Joseph Rowntree Foundation finds.

A computer and an internet connection at home are no longer viewed as luxuries but as essentials, according to research published today. The latest Minimum Income Standard report released by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the social research charity, gauges what members of the public think people need to achieve a “socially acceptable standard of living”.

Participants decided that a computer and internet access at home were now vital for all working-age households to enable people “to participate in society”, both to access job opportunities and to get discounts on services.

Web access a “fundamental human right” according to major survey

A major survey, conducted for the BBC World Service, has revealed that a vast majority of people believe access to the World Wide Web is a fundamental human right.

Over 27,000 people from across 26 countries took part in the survey, with 79% of people supporting the belief.

Over half of respondents (53%) also revealed a belief the web shouldn’t be government regulated, whilst 44% admitted they could not cope without web access. Fraud was listed as the biggest concern for respondents, with nearly a third pointing identifying it ahead of violent and explicit content.

The survey was conducted by GlobeScan, with nearly half of respondents described as non-internet users. “Despite worries about privacy and fraud, people around the world see access to the internet as their fundamental right,” said GlobeScan chairman Doug Miller commented. “They think the web is a force for good, and most don’t want governments to regulate it.”

Three-quarters of UK respondents believed web access was a fundamental right.

That time of the decade!

As the end of another year and decade draws near – the lists are starting of “Top Ten” innovations, etc.

Well – we decided not to create yet another list, but direct you instead to those lovely folks over at the Guardian.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/video/2009/dec/22/technology-review-2009 – a short 6 minute video from some of the Guardian’s technology team  – looking back at 2009 and picking out their best bits of the noughties.

One person in two in the EU uses the internet daily

One person in two in the EU27 uses the internet daily, while for young people the proportion is three quarters.

Data published by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, represent only a small part of the results of a survey on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) usage in households and by individuals in 2009

As well as internet use and broadband connections, the survey also covers other indicators such as e-shopping, e-government and advanced communication and content related services.

Household internet access ranges from 30% in Bulgaria to 90% in the Netherlands.

Nothing truly shocking about the figures – Scandinavian countries are at the top of this digital survey with the likes of Bulgaria and Greece still getting to grips with ‘Digitopia’.

However, Ireland was a bit of an anomaly, ranking only one percent above Greece in the youth usage survey.

To view the short results – log on to http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=STAT/09/176&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

The BT Internet Ranger of the Year Award

BT is looking for young people, up to the age of 16, who have used their ICT skills to help other people get online. If you know a young person who has done this, you can either nominate them or encourage them to nominate themselves.

BT are looking to have Internet Ranger award winners in each of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Each winner will receive an HP laptop plus £250 worth of IT vouchers, together with a certificate. A best of the national winners will receive an additional £250 worth of IT vouchers.

Key dates:  The closing date for applications is Friday 15th January 2010 and winners will be notified by Friday 12th February 2010.

The online application form is available at http://www.btinternetrangers.co.uk/Awards/BTInternetRangeroftheYear/index.htm