Spontaneous web activity down as users target greater efficiency

SPONTANEOUS ACTIVITY on the internet is on the wane amongexperienced users as they shun aimless surfing and plan their onlinesessions more, according to a study published by Microsoft and twoagencies.

The survey found that spontaneous use of the internet fell to 21per cent in 2009-10, according to diaries kept by users in Brazil,Britain, France and Canada from 39 per cent in 2007, when a similarsurvey was conducted in those countries.

Microsoft and its survey partners, mec and Mindshare, attributedthe change in usage patterns to a growing resistance among seasonedinternet users to becoming too dependent on the web, as well as togreater efficiency.

"I've stopped bringing my laptop into the bedroom at night, as Iwould just sit there for hours surfing aimlessly," said one Frenchuser.

Another said: "I spend less time on the internet but I manage todo much more than before".

In all, more than 7,000 people were surveyed by market researchfirm Ipsos in 11 countries - in addition to the four above, Spain,Russia, China, India, Japan, Mexico and the United States were addedin 2010.

The survey also found that users in emerging economies were farmore open to online ads than those in mature markets.

Respondents in mature markets said there was too much onlineadvertising of every kind, while those in emerging markets said theywere happy to see more of several types, especially map-based adsand video ads.

"When the internet is a novelty, even advertising is a novelty,"said Beth Uyenco, head of research at Microsoft advertising.

Pop-up ads were the least popular type of online advertising inboth mature and emerging markets. Microsoft made $1.9 billion([euro]1.3 billion) in revenue from online advertising in 2010,about 3 per cent of its total sales. - (Reuters)