Online business information provider eMarketer said its 1998 eOverview Report
found that youngsters 12-17 will account for 16.1% of the projected total
U.S. online population of 56 million by year’s end and that 47.6% of teens
will have Net access.
The report also indicates that the number of children online, defined as those
aged 3-17 who regularly access the Net, will rise from a projected 13
million by year-end 1998 to 38 million by the year 2002, an increase of nearly
three-fold.
The steady climb in numbers of children online, from 3.1 million in 1996 to
projected numbers of 23 million by the year 2000 and 38 million in 2002
indicates a distinctive trend, according to the report.
“As children at younger ages become more involved in and more comfortable with
the Internet, the long-term potential for e-commerce grows exponentially,”
said Geoff Ramsey of eMarketer.
“Today, kids use the Internet as a learning
tool at school. That comfort level will lead to the future growth of other
Internet applications in communications, commerce, shopping and entertainment.
In a few years these kids won’t hesitate to purchase music, books, clothing
and groceries online.”
eMarketer is a resource for online marketing information, statistics and news.
eMarketer aggregates, organizes, analyzes and filters online business
information to turn it into business intelligence.
For more information and copies of the report contact Gary Galati at
eMarketer, ggalati@emarketer.com, or 212-677-7137