One fifth of Russia’s population don’t use the internet

Publication date: 25 May 2020

A survey conducted by the Public Opinion Foundation (Russia) showed that every fifth Russian (22%) has never used the Internet, 2% of Russians were online more than a year ago.

Being asked “When did you last time use the internet?”, respondents answered:

• 69% — in the last 24 hours,
• 4% — in the last week,
• 1% — in the last month,
• 1% — in the last three months,
• 1% — in the last six months,
• 2% — more than a year ago,
• 22% — never used the Internet.

According to the survey, 51% of Russians use both home and mobile internet while at home, 27% use only mobile internet, 21% — only home, 1% don’t use the internet at home.

When asked about reasons for using the internet, respondents said they need it to follow news (41%), obtain useful, necessary information (35%), communicate (28%), work (25%), watch movies and shows (17%), study (17%), visit social networks (16%), entertain (13%), play online games (6%), learn something new (5%), etc.

73% of respondents think they spend as much time as necessary online to meet their needs and interests, 17% say they spend too much time, 8% spend too little. In the past month or two, 27% of Russians started spending more time online, 9% started spending less, and nothing changed for 63% of Russians.