Information and communication technologies (ICT) now play an integral role in people’s lives; they impact on their purchasing of goods and services, their employment and education, their involvement in civic and political affairs as well as their consumption of entertainment services. Given the association between digital and social exclusion, it is important for governments to understand how access to ICT is distributed. This helps them to promote the use and ownership of ICT where they are most needed. In addition, creating a series of indicators on the use of Internet provides a source of information for the development of business and industrial strategies.
The Brazilian Network Information Centre commissioned Ipsos to map out ownership and use of ICT, focusing on three fundamental dimensions: users, households and enterprises. This will help public administrators to design public policies that meet the needs of the Brazilian society in terms of effective digital inclusion.
Designing a survey that provides accurate, nationally representative indicators and statistics on the availability and use of ICT in Brazil was a challenge due to the multiplicity of socioeconomic and cultural conditions, and the fact that Brazil is a country of continental dimensions. In 2008, the survey was extended to cover rural areas.
Ipsos conducted interviews face-to-face, in over 21,000 households using a systematic stratified cluster sample. The survey and sample was designed so that results could be analysed by region, social class, income, education, age, gender and employment status.
The