It's probably unfair that UK housewives are seen as a barometer of normal-ness. However, this TNS research about global web habits, showing that Britain's homemakers spend more of their time online than any other group, illustrates how far the web has evolved from its geeky roots. Not that long ago the internet was seen as a home for acne-ridden nerds, the sunlight-averse, lonely men and those looking for details on pipe-bombs. So to discover that, in fact, the biggest fans of the web are the UK's moral bastions, shows how far the broadband revolution has come. While the Chinese as a whole take the number one slot, boasting forty-four per cent of their leisure time online, UK housewives spend almost half of their wholesome downtime browsing the web. Even more than the mythically wired South Koreans. Yes, in the UK at least, the web has become the preferred media choice of the Woman's Institute - the nation's ultimate standard bearer of hardline normality. So put down that extreme caffeine drink and niche gadget. Move with the times. Put on a nice pot of tea and take a slice of sponge cake. Let's celebrate the fact that we're all normal now.
Loved that line about pipe-bombs. Brilliant.
Posted by: Alex Moore | January 07, 2009 at 07:05 PM
Hey thanks Alex, there are still some strange ideas floating around about the unrelenting evilness of the web. Take a look at this article from the Telegraph for instance : http://tinyurl.com/8b7s5l. Very balanced...
Posted by: James Cherkoff | January 07, 2009 at 08:05 PM