The majority (53%) of Brazilians have accessed the internet at least once in their lifetime, and 45% have done so within the past three months, according to Brazilian data source Núcleo de Informação e Coordenação do Ponto BR (as reported by eMarketer). Not surprisingly, usage is concentrated among those under age 34. Internet penetration (those accessing the internet at least once per month) is estimated at 42% by eMarketer, and expected to rise to 48% by 2016, totaling 103 million internet users in Brazil.
Internet users were evenly split by gender, and the age groups most likely to use the internet – as of January 2012 – were:
- 16- to 24-year-olds (81% have used the internet)
- 10- to 15-year-olds (75%)
- 25- to 34-year-olds (67%)
Out of the internet users surveyed, social network use was prevalent – 69% had used sites such as orkut, Facebook and LinkedIn. Less than one-quarter (22%) used microblogs, and just 15% listed blogging as part of their internet activities. Younger users, especially those ages 16-24, were more likely to participate in these online communication activities.
