Young Women Dominate UK Net Scene

This brief news piece from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) shares findings from Nielsen/NetRatings indicating that women in the 18-34 age group are now the most dominant group online in the United Kingdom (UK). They account for 18% of all online Britons, and also spend the most time online - accounting for 27% more of the total UK computer time than men in their age group. (Of UK males active online, those aged 50 years and over are the most prevalent).

Those asked to comment on these findings indicate that this trend represents a "seismic shift", as one analyst puts it, from a time when the internet was dominated by young men. The fact that new groups are increasingly going online, this particular analyst believes, is an indication of how mainstream the internet has become. As indicated here, figures from the Entertainment Software Association suggest that, even in the traditionally male-dominated world of gaming, women now account for 38% of game players. Women over 18 represent a significantly greater portion of game players compared to boys under 17.

The data shared in the article indicate that young women visit a variety of websites, including those dedicated to fashion, family, and lifestyle issues (a list of top sites is provided in the article). While sites dedicated to childrearing are most frequently visited by this group, younger women tend to visit the websites of clothing stores, along with social networking sites such as Facebook.