Internet Has Little Influence on Most Russians’ Life – Poll

MOSCOW, October 1 (RIA Novosti) – Nearly half of all Russian Internet users are convinced that their daily lives would be almost the same without access to the web, according to a survey by the Public Opinion Foundation published on Tuesday.

A total of 19 percent of respondents said their life would be absolutely the same if they suddenly lost the opportunity to surf the web, while 45 percent said their daily routines would “change slightly.”

However, nearly a third of respondents said their life would “change drastically.”

When asked what they would lose without Internet access, 26 percent said they would “lose nothing.” Popular answers to that question also included a “source of information” (35 percent), “a chance to communicate with relatives and friends” (24 percent), “help in studies” (7 percent) and “recreation and hobby” (6 percent).

The most popular answer to what would you gain by staying offline was “more free time for other activities,” mentioned by 26 percent of respondents, while 23 percent said they would “gain nothing.”

A total of 63 percent said they know at least one person who is addicted to surfing the web.

The survey was conducted on September 15 among 1,500 adults across 100 Russian towns and cities. Its statistical margin of error did not exceed 3.6 percent, the pollster said.