comScore Releases Study of Internet Usage in Asia Pacific Region

According to a press release issued Sunday, comScore, an internet marketing research company, released the results of its study of internet usage in 10 countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

The study showed that roughly 284 million people over the age of 15 in the region accessed the internet at least once during the month of May, representing approximately 10 percent of the population of the Asia-Pacific region. On average, people in the region accessed the internet 13.8 days of the month with a total of 20.2 hours. The average person accessed 2,171 pages.

The results showed the region under the global average of 17.1 days of use per month, 25.2 hours per month, and a total access of 2,519 pages per month.

As far a specific countries go, South Korea led the pack with 65 percent of the population over 15 accessing the internet during May. Australia followed with 62 percent. The county with the lowest internet usage was India, with only 3 percent of the population accessing the internet during May.

Although China had the highest number of people accessing the internet, 91.5 million, it was actually only 9 percent of the population over 15. Japan, on the other hand, boasted 49 percent with a total of 52.7 million people. These countries, along with South Korea, accounted for 60 percent of the region's internet usage.

South Korea ended up above the global average of internet activity. The study shows that South Koreans spent an average of 17.4 days per person, 31.2 hours per person, and accessing 4,546 pages on average.

New Zealand had the least amount of people on the internet, with 1,949, but were online more often that the global average, at 16.4 days.

comScore monitors a select group of people with special software installed on their computer. The users are given free software and prize in exchange. The software can also track secure connections, but comScore is up front about it in the user agreement provided on their site.

Some controversy erupted over comScore when a Forbes article mentioned users complaining that the company had installed spyware on their computers without their permission. comScore insisted they did not know about it and severed connections with the spyware company.

The company was selected among 47 technological pioneers in a list created by the World Economic Forum, saying the company "[harnessed] its technological innovation and creativity," and "has evolved far beyond this initial vision to become the leading provider of digital marketing intelligence."

Sources:
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-08-2007/0004621351&EDATE=

http://www.opinionsquare.com/Privacy.aspx

http://www.forbes.com/security/2006/12/07/internet-security-research-tech_cx_ll_1208comscore.html

http://www.weforum.org/en/about/Technology%20Pioneers/SelectedTechPioneers/2007TechPioneers/IT/index.htm