The Internet is more popular than television - at least according to a new study by the UK Office of National Statistics. The figures reveal that British adults spent a cumulative average of 41.5 days online last year, compared to 37.5 days watching TV.
Researchers found that survey respondents aged 16 to 64 spend an estimated 164 minutes online each day a number inflated by Internet access in the workplace. That number compares to 148 minutes of television daily.
British men spend about 20 minutes more online than women, although both genders cite shopping as the favourite activity. Britain's 24 million Internet subscribers spend an average of $774 at e-commerce sites annually.
But the growing time spent online brings some drawbacks. Doctors have linked rising Internet usage with a bump in the number of sleep deprivation cases. Researchers have also found that the Internet has reduced the average lunch hour to just 20 minutes, with the remainder spent online for work or personal pursuits.
Researchers found that survey respondents aged 16 to 64 spend an estimated 164 minutes online each day a number inflated by Internet access in the workplace. That number compares to 148 minutes of television daily.
British men spend about 20 minutes more online than women, although both genders cite shopping as the favourite activity. Britain's 24 million Internet subscribers spend an average of $774 at e-commerce sites annually.
But the growing time spent online brings some drawbacks. Doctors have linked rising Internet usage with a bump in the number of sleep deprivation cases. Researchers have also found that the Internet has reduced the average lunch hour to just 20 minutes, with the remainder spent online for work or personal pursuits.