31% Pakistanis say communication most useful aspect of Internet

ISLAMABAD: There are several useful features of the Internet which catch popular imagination and among them the possibility of communicating with others tops the list as cited by 31 per cent Pakistanis, according to a Gilani Research Foundation survey.
The study revealed that it is followed by availability of information (29 per cent) and entertainment (27 per cent), online shopping (seven per cent) and self-expression (four per cent). The remaining two per cent gave no response.
A nationally representative sample of men and women from across the country were asked: “Which one of the following aspects of the internet do you think is the most useful?”
Thirty-one per cent (31 per cent) said being able to communicate with others is extremely constructive, 29 per cent said being able to get information regarding any thing is the best feature of internet and 27 per cent believe having access to entertainment, such as music, films, etc, is the most useful.
According to seven per cent of the respondents being able to shop online and buy things/services from anywhere is the most useful aspect whereas four per cent believe self-expression — being able to express one’s talent and personality by creating/initiating different topics on the net — is the best feature. The remaining two per cent of the respondents gave no response.
The findings of the survey reveal that a higher percentage of rural people (43 per cent) as compared to urbanites (15 per cent) prefer entertaining aspect of the internet.It is also seen that while a proportionately higher percentage of younger people and women believe communication is the most useful feature of the internet, a comparatively higher percentage of older Pakistanis and men believe being able to get information on anything is the best part of the internet.
The study was released by Gilani Foundation and carried out by Gallup Pakistan, the Pakistani affiliate of Gallup International. The recent survey was carried out among a sample of 2,772 men and women in rural and urban areas of all four provinces of the country during January 2010. Error margin is estimated to be approximately +2-3 per cent at 95 per cent confidence level.