Banking and keeping track of finances, shopping and searching for jobs are the main tasks of internet users around the globe, according to a new international survey.
Nearly 60 per cent of people in 24 countries used the web to check their bank account and other financial assets in the past 90 days, making it the most popular use of the internet.
Shopping was not far behind at 48 per cent, the Ipsos poll for Reuters showed, and 41 per cent went online in search of a job.
Swedes were the biggest online bankers, with almost 90 per cent of adults using ebanking, but it has also caught on in a big way in France, Canada, Australia, Poland, South Africa and Belgium
The Germans and British come top for shopping on the web. Seventy-four per cent of people in both countries have bought something online in the past three months, followed by 68 per cent of Swedes, 65 per cent of Americans and 62 per cent of South Koreans.
Almost half of people around the world have shopped online and an even bigger number, 61 per cent, search the web for information about products they are thinking of buying.
Online shopping was least popular in Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Hungary and Russia. – (Reuters)