Surfing the net is more popular than TV

Surfing the net is more popular than TV according to a new survey

8 March 2006 14:36 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Surfing the net is more popular than TV according to a new survey.

The perhaps slightly bias survey by search engine giant Google has found that Britons with internet access now spend more time on the web than watching the box - and hopefully reading Pocket-lint.

The average web user now spends 164 minutes online each day, equal to more than 41 days per year, compared to 148 minutes or 37 days for TV viewers.

Two thirds (66%) were found to have increased their time online over the past 12 months, with the biggest growth seen amongst 16 to 24-year-olds. Men are still the highest internet users with an average of 172 minutes per day compared to 156 minutes for women.

According to the survey, shopping has become one of the most popular online activities, with internet users now spending an average of £446 online each year.

A regional breakdown of the research shows that internet users in Greater London spend the most time surfing the web with an average of 183 minutes followed by Scotland (181 minutes).

The biggest online spenders were people living in London (they spend £517 on average per year).