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Women 18-34 the Dominant Online Group in the U.K.

The online landscape is shifting in the U.K., with 18-34 year old women now the most dominant online group, comprising 18% of the U.K. internet population and accounting for over one-fifth of all U.K. computer time, according to new reseaerch from Nielsen/NetRatings.

Composition of the UK internet population, per NetRatings (via Net Imperative and MarketingCharts):

• 18-34 year-old women are the most prevalent demographic group online, accounting for 18% of all active online Britons. In general, 18-34 year-olds are the most prevalent group, accounting for 32% of all active online Britons.
• However, one in four Britons online is at least 50 years old; moreover, there are 1.7 times more 50+ year-olds than children under 18 who are active on the internet.
• The UK internet population is split almost equally between males (51.5%) and females (48.5%).
• There are twice as many women age 18-34 than girls under 18 or women 50+ who are active online.
• In contrast, among males active online, the 50+ age group is the most prevalent; for example, there are twice as many men age 50+ than boys under 18 who are active online.

“The Internet is no longer dominated by young male adults. Times have changed considerably…. Companies who understand this composition when providing services or content through the web or simply advertising online will maximize their chances of success in the Internet of the future,” said Nielsen/NetRatings European Internet Analyst Alex Burmaster.

Computer usage data, per NetRatings:

• Women age 18-34 account for 21% of all time spent on computers by Britons. That is, for every hour that Britons spend on computers, 13 minutes are accounted for by 18-34 year-old women.
• Those under age 18 account for just 4% of all UK computer time - or two minutes of every hour that Britons spend on Computers.
• 18-34 year-olds are the most active, spending around 60 hours a month on their computer.
• Those under 18 year olds are the least active, spending around 16 hours a month on their computer.