Among the most striking findings of the study "Perceptions and Use of the Internet - 2022", it stands out that 54% of the participants consider that women are the ones who generate the most income from the Internet in contrast to 19% who said that they were the men who did. 27% chose the answer does not know/does not answer.
Likewise, 42% of the people surveyed consider that it is easier for women to start a new business on the Internet, while 31% said that this is easier for men.
In this sense, Eduardo Santoyo Cadena, General Manager of .CO Internet, the company that carried out the study, points out that "this entrepreneurial vocation and the search for new and greater sources of income are factors that highlight the importance of making more inclusive , and from the educational process, the participation of women in issues associated with the technological development of ICT”.
The study "Perceptions and use of the Internet" provides various elements for understanding the way in which the Internet is used in Colombia. Its main objective is to understand what are the general opinions and attitudes towards the Internet and its evolution in recent years. It addresses different thematic areas, among them: Internet usage habits, Internet purchase habits, perception of Internet security, couple relationships and the use of the Internet, and protection of children on the Internet.
One of the aspects that draws the attention of the study is the information related to online shopping habits, where 9 out of 10 respondents state that they have made at least one online purchase in the last year. Thus, when comparing the means used to buy, growth was found in purchases from mobile applications: in 2019, 56% of those surveyed said they had used this means to make purchases and in 2022 this was reported by 78% of the participants.
Likewise, by the year 2022, 82% of those surveyed said they had made purchases through web pages and 47% through social networks.
The study also revealed the products and services that respondents most reported having purchased online in the past year. 54% said they had purchased the category "household products, tools and decoration" first, followed by "travel and air tickets" with 52%, then "fashion" with 50%, then "technology and computers" with 50 %, then "beauty and health" with 44% and then "market products" with 39%, among others. The "fashion" category was one of those that presented the greatest growth: in 2018, 38% of those surveyed said they bought this category and in 2022, 50% reported doing so.
Compared to online transactions, a decrease in the perception of security was found when making purchases over the Internet. In 2020, 76% of those surveyed said they felt safe; this figure falls in 2021 to 75% and in 2022 to 67%.
Among the aspects expressed by the respondents that contribute to generating the perception of insecurity when buying on the Internet, the following stand out: Internet scams, theft of personal information and impersonation of company and personal profiles, among others.
In this same sense, when asked, have you been the victim of any theft or scam on the Internet? In 2019, 10% of those surveyed answered yes and in 2022, 16% answered affirmatively.
On the contrary, when the participants were asked about those aspects that generate security for them when making purchases on the Internet, they highlighted the use of secure payment systems, improvements in security protocols, and the security certificates that come with the Web pages, mainly.
Fabricio Alarcón Jiménez, Vice President of Brands and Media of the Centro Nacional de Consultoría (CNC) stressed that "the Internet is at the moment when it begins to fulfill its promise to close gaps, the pandemic generated training for those who had not had the possibility or interest to connect to the Internet. The older ones connected to virtual meetings, the most vulnerable have made themselves visible by making a presence on the network”.
“An ecosystem with more users and more tools is a great opportunity to close gaps. Starting businesses online is an activity more associated with women. The risks come with a larger e-commerce, security is a concern, but it must be said that users are increasingly agile in identifying, for example, when there is a payment gateway that generates trust. The investigation that .CO has carried out for more than five years is a great testimony of this progress”, expressed Alarcón.
The study is available on the website www.cointernet.com.co
Article taken from lavibrante.com
By Daniel Castillo