Posted: 17th May, 2010 By: MarkJ

Ofcom's latest
UK Adult Media Literacy (PDF) report has found that 73% of adults used the internet in 2009, up from 63% in 2007, and we are becoming more security conscious while online. Some 80% of adults with a social networking profile are more likely to only allow friends or family to see it, compared with 48% in 2007.
The proportion of internet users who say they would be happy to provide their email address when they are online has declined since 2007 (44% vs. 49%). Around half (51%) of internet users say they make some kind of judgement based on “
professional” signs such as padlocks before entering personal information on websites, with little change from 2007.
Elsewhere 32% of UK internet connected adults watch online video or download TV programmes or films. Almost all of these are doing so through UK TV broadcasters’ websites (29%) (BBC iPlayer , Sky Player etc.), with a much smaller proportion watching online or downloading TV programmes or movies from other websites (11%).
More UK adults believe that [unlawful] file sharing (p2p) through downloading shared copies of copyright music and films via their broadband ISP connections should be illegal (47%) than believe it should be legal (29%), with 24% unsure. Young people aged 16-24 are more likely to say that such activity should be legal (45%).
Sadly 29% of adults still do not have the internet at home and 70% say they do not intend to get it within the next year or so. That's unfortunate because eight in ten UK internet users have saved money by using it over the past 6 months.
Most internet refuseniks give reasons relating to a lack of interest (72%). However this reason is less likely to be mentioned now than in 2007. Reasons relating to cost (31%) are more likely to be mentioned than in 2007. Not having a computer is also given as a reason by 23% of those not intending to get the internet at home.
Finally 31% said they use an alternative device (e.g. mobile phone, games console, portable media player etc.) to go online. Use of alternative devices to go online is higher among the under-45s than among those aged 45 and over. The full report has lots of equally fascinating stats.