Released on = December 15, 2006, 1:03 am

Press Release Author = Jonnalyn Ajeda

Industry = Consumer Services

Press Release Summary = In a country with a staggering population density of 2
people per square kilometer, the Internet is simply a godsend in its power of
convergence for Australians. Unfortunately though, this is not the scenario, says
Queensland-based researcher Professor Amanda Spink.

Press Release Body = In a country with a staggering population density of 2 people
per square kilometer, the Internet is simply a godsend in its power of convergence
for Australians. Unfortunately though, this is not the scenario, says
Queensland-based researcher Professor Amanda Spink.

According to Professor Spink of the Queensland University of Technology, Australians
significantly lag in their knowledge and use of the Internet compared to Americans.
From Australia\'s 3.9 million online subscribers in 2001, the figures for this year
has risen to a mere 6 million--certainly not much to speak of.

The comparison to Americans is inevitable since Spink just spent the last 20 years
in the United States. It\'s not just about online use however, but more
specifically, Australia has no institution which vigilantly monitors Internet data,
trends and growths. Currently, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) collects
that data, along with other social and economic trends. But in terms of a
specifically-focused institution on online use, Australia has none.

In a report by Nick Miller, Spink cites other countries as well, including the UK,
Singapore, and China. In the US, the Pew Internet & American Life Project has made
it a mission to gather and analyse data on online habits of Americans, for example,
their patronisation of specific websites such as gambling sites, medical sites,
online classifieds, psychic hotlines, etc and the impact of these in their lives.

\"We have limited data on what web search engines Australians use, how they use them,
what they search for, and the impact of the web on teenagers, elderly, children,
businesses etc. This data is crucial for policy makers, businesses and citizens in
understanding how the web is impacting Australian society.\"

For example, says Spink, majority of Americans turn to the Net for guidance
regarding their health concerns. If they stumble on websites that haven\'t been
updated in a long time, they risk getting and using old medical information that
could prove harmful to them. This is the kind of things Spink is on the lookout
for: discrepancies in online habits and online information in Australia that have
direct influence in peoples\' lives.

No doubt the Internet is revolutionizing the way people communicate, work, play, and
live. Internet is becoming inextricably woven into our lives. We turn to the
Internet for our research and term papers, for buying ballgame or concert tickets,
for the latest music videos of our favourite artists, for posting free classified
ads for our house, for online shopping of something as basic as a pair of rubber
shoes. Now, there is a big gap between doing things online and offline. And, these
days, it\'s almost always in the favor of the online method, with its instantaneous,
far-reaching, and effective qualities. And of course no one wants to be left out on
the Other side.

Especially with the current popularity of online classifieds and adult personal ads,
it should be interesting to see how the Internet cyberscape changes in a few years.
Hopefully, someone should be monitoring this trend as we speak.


Web Site = http://classifieds.ozfreeonline.com

Contact Details =

Jonnalyn Ajeda
OzFreeOnline
http://www.ozfreeonline.com
http://classifieds.ozfreeonline.com
3/118 Church St
Hawthorn, VIC 3122
Phone: 1300 365 505
E-mail: info@ozfreeonline.com