Datafolha: reading news is the most common habit on the internet – 06/29/2023 – Tech

Nothing is more important than staying informed for people connected to the internet. This is the conclusion of the national survey by Datafolha, which surveyed 2,010 people aged 16 or over between May 8 and 13 and, for this question, considered those who responded to access the web (1,908 people).

Reading news is the most common practice, cultivated by 80% of Internet users in Brazil. The survey did not ask about the source of the information — whether it is from traditional media, shared via WhatsApp or other means.

The habit is even more common among the more educated. In the portion of the population that has a higher education, the number reaches 95%, against 60% of those who completed only the fundamental. In terms of income, 93% earn more than five minimum wages, compared to 74% of those earning up to two.

Access to information was also considered the most important in relation to connectivity. For 84%, being on the internet is essential to stay informed about what is happening in the world.

But it’s not just news of global relevance that draws attention. For 60% of them, the network is also relevant to observe what happens within their own neighborhood. Online groups such as Cecílias and Buarques demonstrate this interest in the neighborhood.

When she created the group on Facebook, in 2015, cultural producer Laís Jesus was 25 years old and had recently arrived in the region of Santa Cecília and Vila Buarque, in the center of São Paulo. Until then, she lived with her parents in Pinheiros.

The online project mixed a curiosity to know people and places in the area, but also to protect herself, as a woman who started to live alone. “In the first pinned post, there was something along the lines of ‘this group is for us to indicate the traps and pitfalls'”, recalls Laís. “I wanted to know who to call in the neighborhood, for example, if my TV broke down. I want it to be a reliable technician, with a referral.”

In the beginning, Cecílias e Buarques did not have many rules and its members were free to post. For a long time, he didn’t have more than 500 people, but after two years he took a leap and got a little out of hand.

“In a way, the posts ended up turning into something violent. There was a robbery and someone reported and described the thief, encouraging other Internet users to look for the person in the neighborhood. This awakened in some people this desire to want justice with their own hands, watch the neighborhood,” he recalls. “I was even accused of being a fascist, we had some confusions.”

Laís says that it wasn’t so simple to moderate some questions and created rules to maintain the initial proposal, among them, not using the group as a timeline for your business.

Before Covid-19, it was possible to say that the online community played the role of a cultural guide, with indications of establishments and publicizing parties and fairs. “We wanted to leave the virtual environment”, says Laís.

However, during the pandemic, the group acquired new purposes. “People became less sociable, but at the same time there was a creation of a support network. People who had been laid off told that they were selling lunchboxes, making cakes… This question of helping themselves in a vulnerable situation came into play.”

Currently the online community has around 15,000 subscribers. Most of the members are between 25 and 34 years old, according to the founder, “but up to 54 has a lot of people”, she says. In the Datafolha survey by age group, internet users between 35 and 44 years old are the ones who most use the internet for information in the neighborhood, with 64%, followed by people aged 45 to 59 years old, with 63%.

Today, the cultural producer lives in Aclimação and, for this reason, has moved away from the mediation of the group, which is still active, but continues to use tips from Cecílias and Buarques.