INFORMATION SOCIETY FOR ALL? STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF INTERNET USE IN 15 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

ABSTRACT The article examines the patterns of Internet use in 15 European Union countries. In the theoretical part, it is discussed how the social scientists have addressed the consequences of the diffusion of the new information and communication technologies (ICT). It is asked whether there is a potential in the use of ICT for increasing social inequalities within and between the affluent societies. In the empirical part, it is examined whether the 15 European countries selected have qualitatively different patterns of Internet use from each other. Results from Eurobarometer 56.0 survey data collected in 2001 (N=16,200) show that the basic socio-demographic factors explain the use of the Internet rather similarly in the then EU area. However, it is also revealed that the institutional differences between European countries affect the strengths of socio-demographic factors.