BY-NET IN THE MIRROR OF SOCIOLOGY

National opinion polls in Belarus conducted by the IISEPS already for many years show that the number of the Internet users in Belarus grows steadily and quite swiftly (Table 1), probably as in the whole world. Today every third grown-up in our country uses this civilization achievement.

It should be noted that intensity of the Internet use by those who are included into the line “Yes” is different – from “Daily” to “Several times a year”. Nevertheless, they can be attributed to the Internet users at least because they know what it is and understand the possibilities and the necessity of the World Wide Web, and also can always use these possibilities if they want to. Those who have mentioned that they do not know what the Internet is are also included into the line “No”. Among the grown-up population there are no more than 3-4% of such people today, and their number is constantly reducing.

Table 1. Dynamics of answering the question: “Do you use the Internet?”, %

As it can be seen, the number of the Internet users in Belarus among the grown-up population has grown almost four times (3.7 times) for seven years – from 9.7% to 35.9%. In other words, the growth of users made up on average up to 25% a year! If population were growing with the same pace, the demographic situation would soon lead to overpopulation of the country.

At the same time, comparison of the Belarusian situation with the level of the Internet use in the more advanced countries is still not in our favor. It is clear that we began later, but it makes us glad that we have grand prospects, other things being equal!

So, who are they – Belarusian Internet users? In what way do they differ from the rest of the population? Do these differences exist at all, and if so, how considerable are they?

Let us first consider the socio-demographic characteristics of the Internet users in comparison with their antipodes, and with the whole population as well (Table 2). As it follows from the table, men considerably predominate among users in contrast to the whole population (51.5% vs. 45.4%). As far as “non-users”‘ are concerned, these are mostly female “‘non-users” as the number of women among them is almost 1.4 times more than men.

Table 2. Socio-demographic characteristics of the population depending on their attitude to the Internet, %

* In this and the following tables data concerning all the polled are given in the brackets for comparison

It is quite clear that among users there are noticeably more young people and fewer people of older ages, than among “non-users”. People with a higher level of education also prevail among users, which is also quite explainable. Among them there are 2.3 times more of private sector employees, than among “non-users”, and 15 times more students! At the same time there are almost 20 times fewer pensioners among users than among “non-users”!

Users live mostly in big towns, and “non-users”‘ naturally prevail in the countryside.

Thus the socio-demographic “picture”‘ as regards the BY-Net audience is quite clear and explicable. And a typical BY-Net-user is a young man with higher (including incomplete higher) or secondary (including vocational) education, living in a large settlement.

Let us now address ourselves to the socio-economic views and assessments of the Internet users and “non-users” (Table 3).

Table 3. The socio-economic “portrait” of the population depending on their attitude to the Internet, %

According to the assessments of the respondents themselves at the present time there is almost equal amount of those whose level of per capita income is under and over the minimal consumer budget (approximately $ 170) among the grown up population. On the other hand, among the Internet-users there are visibly more of rich people – almost 1.5 times (58.7% vs. 40.4%). As for the “non-users” the situation is reverse: there are a quarter more of poorer people than of the richer ones (44.6% vs. 55%).

At the same time, regardless of the higher level of income there are noticeably more of those people who are not satisfied with the present living conditions in the country among users (53.7% vs. 44.1%). There is a mirror-like situation by the “non-users”: in spite of the low level of income those people who are satisfied with the present living conditions in the country to this or that extent (62.3% vs. 34.5%) considerably predominate among them (1.8 times!).

Among users there are also noticeably more people who registered worsening of their financial position for the last three months. There are almost 2.5 times more of them than of those who registered some improvement (31.2% vs. 13.5%). By the “non-users” this difference is less significant, with small prevalence of those who noticed improvement of their financial position (19.6% vs. 16.7%).

Thus, in comparison with “non-users”, users of the Internet are visibly richer, but they are more unsatisfied with the existing living conditions.

Such differences in demographic characteristics and socio-economic views of both groups’ representatives, even if not very significant, but nevertheless visible, in our opinion also predetermined in many respects differences in their socio-political preferences (Table 4).

Table 4. Socio-political “portrait” of the population depending on their attitude to the Internet, %

Among the Internet users only each fifth respondent (22.1%) mentioned that he has a clear idea about what direction the country is moving in, and what is made its aim by the governing body of the country. There are more of such people among “non-users” – already every third person (29.9%). The fact that this idea has a rather vague character was marked by almost every second user (47%), however, as far as “non-users” are concerned – only by each third one (37.6%). Hence a conclusion can be drawn that better educated Internet-users treat the given question more thoughtfully, more thoroughly than their less educated antipodes. By the way, two out of every three Belarusians pointed today at the vague or even at the absence of any idea about the direction and aims of the country’s movement in spite of the daily brainwashing of the state mass media.

As a consequence of such an approach almost 45% of users believe that the country is developing in the wrong direction. Only 38.8% of users adhere to the opposite point of view. The situation is reverse among “non-users”: almost 62% positively assess the direction of the country’s development, and only 21.8% assess it negatively.

Taking this into account it becomes quite clear that almost 62% among users would like fundamental changes in the home and foreign policy of the country to occur (about 14% only keep to the opposite point of view). The majority among “non-users” is also for changes, although there are considerably fewer of them – only 46.9%.

Views of users and their antipodes with respect to authoritarianism are distributed mirror-like: if the majority of users (53.3%) do not agree that a strong leader is better than good laws, than approximately the same number of “non-users” (53.1%) has an opposite opinion.

There are more of those who do not trust the president of the country among users (46% vs. 34.9%), and among “non-users” on the contrary there are noticeably more of those who trust him (61.5% vs. 24.3%). And if tomorrow new presidential elections took place, the president would get 51.8% of votes among “non-users”, and only 26.2% – among users.

It is interesting that almost 56% of users are sure that no real elections are going to take place at the forthcoming parliamentary elections (the opinion poll was conducted before the elections – the editor), and distribution of places in the lower house is defined by the authorities beforehand. Only 27.3% of users adhere to the opposite opinion which is twice as less. Among “non-users” the majority believes in the reality of the impending elections (46.1%). 53% out of them are going to vote for a supporter of A. Lukashenko. Users do not have any explicit preferences here: their voices have divided approximately equally among supporters and opponents of A. Lukashenko, and another candidate (27-29%).

Almost two out of three “non-users” are followers of Belarus and Russia integration. This point of view is shared by less than 39% among users and 43.2% of them support the idea of our country’s entering the European Union.

And finally there are visibly fewer of those who watch Belarusian television among users, and more of those who watch Euronews than among “non-users”. Owing to the fact the state propaganda exerts less influence upon them than upon their antipodes.

Thus, as it follows from the aforesaid, socio-political views of the Internet users by no means coincide with the official ones. They are more advanced in the direction of democracy than “non-users” and the whole population. In this sense “non-users” look the most devoted to the state of affairs existing in the country, they more easily fall under the influence of the official propaganda and in their majority serve electoral support to the Belarusian governing body. However, time and progress of civilization work against them.