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Only One Quarter of the Planet To Be Online By 2012

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the that's-not-really-that-much dept.

Stony Stevenson writes "Researchers are predicting that one quarter of the world's population will be connected to the internet within the next four years. According to the report by Jupiter Research, the total number of people online will climb to 1.8 billion by 2012, encompassing roughly 25 percent of the planet. The company sees the highest growth rates in areas such as China, Russia, India and Brazil. Overall, the number of users online is predicted to grow by 44 percent in the time period between 2007 and 2012." Is it just me or does that seem incredibly small?

7 of 206 comments (clear)

  1. It may be small... by scubamage · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It does seem small, but you have to consider that most of the world doesn't live up to 'industrialized' and 'information age' standards of living. Its actually a pretty incredible number.

    1. Re:It may be small... by defnoz · · Score: 5, Insightful

      In other news, 1/3 of the world's population don't have access to clean water and/or enough food. If only they could write about it in their blag.

    2. Re:It may be small... by aurispector · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Seriously! Doesn't anyone read the news? Most of the world's population lives in abject poverty compared to western standards. All you need to is see that pic of the world at night from space - lights visible in the US, Europe, Japan and a few scattered major cities - everything else is dark.

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    3. Re:It may be small... by cunamara · · Score: 5, Insightful

      But then again, roughly one half of the Earth's population lives on $3 per day or less. I would imagine that their priorities aren't broadband and a laptop. Not dying today from malnutrition might rqank a little higher on their priorities.

    4. Re:It may be small... by benwiggy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I think you fail to understand how difficult it is to move out of the sort of extreme and dire poverty that persists in the world.
      Try moving to a more abundant farming area, whose inhabitants look upon you as an outsider who is muscling in on their scarce resources.
      Try moving from a rural existence, where your food comes from your labours, to the city, where you must buy your food with money. (Where unskilled labour is dirt cheap.
      Try getting a passport without spending a large amount of money.
      Try getting a visa to Europe or US if you come from Africa.

      Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes.

  2. Is it just me... by debest · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ... or do you not realize how poor most of the planet is?

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  3. It's just you... by bushboy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ... in reality, it's incredibly large!

    Having lived in what is effectively a third world country, South African, for about 15 years, one thing is painfully obvious when compared with life in a first world country. The vast majority of people have little to no access to electricity, let alone the internet!

    It's very hard to understand this unless you witness it first hand - it's all to easy to think "but surely everyone needs to be on the internet?"

    The reality is for most of humanity, the struggle to put food on the plate and shelter themselves is the main driving force in their daily lives.

    I'm therefore suprised at how many people are online, not how few - completely the opposite reaction to the parent.

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