pakistan internet use survey 2013
DESCRIPTION
While there are now over 20 million Pakistanis online – a number which is growing rapidly – there is very little documentation or research on how the internet is being used in the country.This online survey, conducted through The Express Tribune and Express Urdu websites aimed to capture a snapshot of the local internet user’s perspective.Both English and Urdu sites and their social media accounts were used to promote the survey in order to capture a wider, more diverse audience.TRANSCRIPT
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Summary
While there are now over 20 million Pakistanis online – a number which is growing rapidly –
there is very little documentation or research on how the internet is being used in the country.
This online survey, conducted through The Express Tribune and Express Urdu websites aimed
to capture a snapshot of the local internet user’s perspective. Both English and Urdu sites and
their social media accounts were used to promote the survey in order to capture a wider, more
diverse audience. The survey was conducted over July 28-29, 2013.
A total of 1,100 respondents filled out the survey, of which 18-25 year olds make up over half of
total respondents, followed by 25-35 year olds. The survey also highlighted a large gender
disparity in respondents, with males dominating. This trend has been highlighted in the past;
Pakistan’s Facebook audience was 70% male, 30% female as of April 2013.
The vast majority of respondents (94%) are from urban areas, led by Karachi, Lahore and
Islamabad.
Key findings
Laptops are the most used device (81% of total respondents) to connect to the internet. Mobile
phones (65%) outranked desktop computers (47%) for accessing the internet.
A vast majority of respondents (97%) have high speed internet connections. Dial-up internet use
is almost negligible.
Over half of respondents (60%) pay Rs1,500 or less per month for their internet connections. A
majority of respondents use the internet over 5 hours a day, followed by those who use the
internet 4-5 hours a day. Over 90% of respondents often use the internet at home, as compared
to often outside (16%) and often at work (52%).
Social networks/chatting is the number one activity for respondents, followed closely by email and news. Shopping online registered low with respondents. Nearly all respondents are on Facebook. Twitter and LinkedIn are both used by at least half of respondents. More than half of respondents say they have befriended someone on a social network whom they have never met. Additionally, 41% say they have met someone in the real world whom they have only met online. Over 30% of respondents say they have become romantically involved through the internet. More than half of respondents have made a purchase online. A greater number of respondents (56%) have made a purchase online, as compared to selling something online (26%). More than half of respondents never click on an online ad. In terms of video content, entertainment, news and educational videos all ranked high for respondents. Respondents indicated they access videos nearly equally for news/documentaries, movies/movie clips and music. A majority of respondents (82%) have used proxies or other means to access blocked content.
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AGE
HIGHLIGHTS
A vast majority of respondents are young. This is to be expected given Pakistan’s youth bulge
and previous reports that have shown a similar breakup.
18-25 year olds make up over half of total respondents, followed by 25-35 year olds.
5%
56%
32%
7%
Under 18 18-25 25-35 Over 35
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SEX
HIGHLIGHTS
There is a large gender disparity in respondents, with males dominating.
This trend has been highlighted in the past; Pakistan’s Facebook audience was 70% male, 30%
female as of April 2013.
Further disparity in this survey may be due to it being conducted on news websites.
87%
13%
Male Female
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LOCATION
HIGHLIGHTS
The vast majority of respondents (94%) are from urban areas.
Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad have the largest number of respondents.
30%
24%
21%
19%
6%
Karachi
Lahore
Islamabad
Other (urban area)
Other (rural area)
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Which of the following devices do you use to connect to the internet?
HIGHLIGHTS
Laptops are the most used device to connect to the internet.
Mobile phones (30%) outranked desktop computers for accessing the internet.
22%
37%
11%
30%
Desktop computer Laptop Tablet Mobile phone
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How do you connect to the internet?
HIGHLIGHTS
A vast majority of respondents have high speed internet connections.
Dial-up internet use is almost negligible.
2%
72%
26%
Dial-up Broadband/DSL/Wifi or other high speed connection Mobile
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How much do you spend per month on your internet connection(s)?
HIGHLIGHTS
Over half of respondents (60%) pay Rs1,500 or less per month for their internet connections.
INSIGHT
Those over 35 had a much higher percentage (14%) of those who spent over Rs3,000 per month.
7%
53%
33%
7%
Below Rs500 Rs500-1,500 Rs1,500-3,000 Over Rs3,000
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How many hours do you use the internet daily?
HIGHLIGHTS
A majority of respondents use the internet over 5 hours a day, followed by those who use the
internet 4-5 hours a day.
INSIGHT
25-35 year olds spend the most time on the internet (64% said they were online over 5 hours),
while both those over 35 and those under 18 spent less time online (49% over 5 hours each).
Males used the internet for longer hours than females. 60% of males said they use the internet
over 5 hours a day, compared to 52% of females.
2%
4%
15%
20% 59%
0-1 hours 1-2 hours 2-3 hours 4-5 hours Over 5 hours
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What time do you generally use the internet?
HIGHLIGHTS
A majority of respondents indicate they consider themselves always connected to the internet.
Night time had the highest number of users, out of the periods of day listed.
INSIGHT
Those over 35 indicated they were always connected more than other age groups – 76% of those
over 35 said they were always connected.
4% 4%
9%
19%
64%
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night
Always connected
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Where do you use the internet? Outside
Home
Work
HIGHLIGHTS
Over 90% of respondents often use the internet at home.
16%
60%
24%
0 20 40 60 80 100
Often
Sometimes
Never
92%
7%
1%
0 20 40 60 80 100
Often
Sometimes
Never
52%
28%
20%
0 20 40 60 80 100
Often
Sometimes
Never
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How often do you use the internet for the following activities?
Note: Each bar indicates answers of total respondents to the label below.
HIGHLIGHTS
Social networks/chatting is the number one activity for respondents (83% often use), followed closely by email (76%) and news (75%). Shopping online registered low with respondents. INSIGHT
Females used the internet for education/research a lot more than males. 76% of females said they often used the internet for education/research, while only 61% of males said the same. Older age is directly linked to greater email use, with those over 35 using email often the most, and those under 18 using email often the least. This was seen across all age groups.
83% 76% 75%
63% 63% 58%
22%
11%
15% 22% 23%
35% 28% 37%
55%
44%
2% 2% 2% 2%
9% 5%
23%
45%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Often Sometimes Never
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Younger age is directly linked to using the internet for entertainment, with those under 18 using the internet for entertainment often the most, and those over 35, the least. This was seen across all age groups. Those under 18 used the internet for religious purposes more than other age groups, with 32% indicating they use the internet often for religious purposes. Those over 35 used the internet for religious purposes the least, with 16% indicating usage often. Those aged 25-35 and over 35 used the internet for work more than the younger age groups. Females indicated they used the internet for work often (70% of all females) more than males (62% of all males).
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Have you ever:
Note: Each bar indicates answers of total respondents to the label below.
HIGHLIGHTS
More than half of respondents say they have befriended someone on a social network whom they have never met. Additionally, 41% say they have met someone in the real world whom they have only met online. Reports of online harassment were low, possibly due to gender disparity of respondents. Over 30% of respondents say they have become romantically involved through the internet. A small but significant number (17%) say they have hacked into an online account or website.
Becomeromantically involved
throughthe
internet
Hadsomeonegive you
falseinformatio
n aboutthemselve
s online
Givenyour
passwordto a friend
orsomeoneyou know
Pretendedto be a
differentpersononline
Hacked/tried to hack
into anonline
account/website
Earnedmoneyonline
Facedonline
harassment
Befriended peopleon socialnetworks
whom youhave never
met
Metsomeonein the realworld youhave only
met online
Series 1 32% 36% 27% 27% 17% 21% 13% 59% 41%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
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Which of the following social networks are you on?
Note: Each bar indicates answers of total respondents to the label below.
HIGHLIGHTS
Nearly all respondents are on Facebook. Twitter and LinkedIn are both used by at least half of respondents.
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Pinterest Tumblr
Series 1 96 69 50 21 11 10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
96%
69%
50%
11%10%
21%
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Have you ever purchased/sold anything online?
HIGHLIGHTS
More than half of respondents have made a purchase online. A greater number of respondents (56%) have made a purchase online, as compared to selling something online (26%). INSIGHT
Those aged 18-25 and 25-35 indicated they had made a purchase online more than those over 35 and under 18. 65% of those 25-35 have made a purchase online, while 51% of those 18-25 have bought something online. Far more males indicated they have sold something online, as compared to females. Only 11% of females said they have sold something online, as compared to 28% of males.
56%
44%
Purchased online
Yes No
26%
74%
Sold online
Yes No
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Do you use a webcam?
HIGHLIGHTS
Most respondents use a webcam only sometimes (60%).
21%
60%
19%
Often Sometimes Never
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Do you access videos online?
HIGHLIGHTS
Almost all respondents access videos online.
92%
8%
Yes No
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What kind of content do you generally access on video hosting sites?
Note: Each bar indicates answers of total respondents to the label below.
HIGHLIGHTS
Entertainment, news and education all ranked high for respondents. Respondents indicated they access videos nearly equally for news/documentaries, movies/movie clips and music. Religious content is the least viewed.
MusicMovies/movi
e clips
Videos fromfriends/peer
s
News/documentaries
Educationalcontent
Religiouscontent
Other
Series 1 75 76 61 76 68 42 31
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
75% 76% 61% 76% 68% 42% 31%
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Have you ever used a proxy or other means to access blocked content?
HIGHLIGHTS
A majority of respondents (82%) have used proxies or other means to access blocked content.
82%
18%
Yes No
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Do you have a blog/have published a blog post online?
HIGHLIGHTS
More than half of respondents do not have a blog/have not published a post online.
37%
63%
Yes No
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How often do you browse?
HIGHLIGHTS
A greater number of respondents browse foreign sites more often (84%) than Pakistani ones (64%).
64%
33%
3%
0 20 40 60 80 100
Often
Sometimes
Never
Pakistani sites
84%
15%
1%
0 20 40 60 80 100
Often
Sometimes
Never
Foreign sites
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How often do you click an online ad?
HIGHLIGHTS
More than half of respondents never click on an online ad. INSIGHT
Those who are younger click on online ads far less. 67% of those under 18 said they never click online ads, as compared to those over 35 (51%). This was seen across all age groups. Females are more unlikely to click an online ad, as compared to males. 57% of females say they have never clicked on an online ad, as compared to 51% of males.
4%
39%
57%
Often Sometimes Never