Internet Users Research Articles

Digital Divide in the European Union: A Typology of EU Citizens

AbstractThis paper addresses the heterogeneity of the digital divide and internet use among citizens in the 28 European Union (EU) countries (at the time of the survey). Drawing from the Eurobarometer Surveys, three indicators of the digital divide are used to define the groups: frequency of internet access, means of internet access, and online activities. The categorical clustering algorithm identifies six groups of internet users: Non-Users, Basic Users, Information Exchangers, Instrumental Users, Socializers, and Advanced Users, each with distinct socio-demographic profiles. The study reveals significant socio-economic and demographic profiling variables characterizing these patterns, including age, education, gender, occupation, type of community and geographic location. A major digital divide is detected in many countries; Notably, Romania, Greece, and Bulgaria have the largest proportion of Non-Users, emphasizing the need for targeted policy interventions. These results provide crucial insights for the European Commission’s digitization strategy, suggesting that more nuanced and targeted measures are needed to ensure equitable digital access across the EU.

HUBUNGAN INTENSITAS PENGGUNAAN GAWAI DENGAN KUALITAS TIDUR PADA REMAJA DI SMP N 1 NGAWEN

Background: According to APJII (Association of Indonesian Internet Providers) found that the number of Internet users in Indonesia is 143.26 million people or around 54.68% of the total Indonesian population of 256.2 million people (Risna, 2021). Objective: This study aims to determine the relationship between the intensity of device use and sleep quality in adolescents at SMP N 1 Ngawen. Research Methods: This research is a quantitative correlational type with a cross sectional approach. The population of this study were all students of SMP N 1 Ngawen totaling 762 students. The sampling technique used puposive sampling. The instruments used were the Use of Gadgets questionnaire and the PSQI (Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index) Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Spearman Rank. Results: The characteristics of respondents in this study were the majority of 14 years old (41.0%), female gender (48.0%), male gender (52.0%), the majority of high device usage (87%), and the majority of poor sleep quality (96%). Spearman rank obtained a value of 0.000 (p < 0.0005). Conclusion: There is a relationship between the intensity of gadget use and sleep quality in adolescents at SMP N 1 Ngawen.

Medical service satisfaction and depression among middle-aged and older Chinese adults: moderating role of distinct Internet-using patterns

BackgroundPatient satisfaction is a powerful predictor of an individual's mental health, according to previous research. However, there has not been a thorough study on the relationship between depression and overall medical service satisfaction (OMSS) in middle-aged and older adults. Moreover, little is known about how different Internet-using patterns affect this relationship.MethodsWe selected 4,523 participants from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) 2020 dataset who were aged 45 and older. The relationship between OMSS and depression was examined using logistic regression analysis, distinct Internet-using patterns were investigated using latent class analysis, and the moderating effects of these patterns were examined using SPSS PROCESS macro analysis.ResultsThe results showed OMSS was negatively related to depression in middle-aged and older adults (β = -0.181, p < 0.001). For skilled Internet users, there was a significant positive moderating effect (β = -0.272, SE = 0.096, p < 0.01), for unskilled users, there was a significant negative moderating effect (β = 0.497, SE = 0.156, p < 0.01). Yet, there is no moderating effect of a controlled Internet-using pattern on the correlation between OMSS and depression.ConclusionsThis study highlights the potential value of improving medical service satisfaction in reducing depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults. Additionally, in order to maximize the benefits of healthcare for mental health, the study suggests that Internet-using patterns could be a significant area for intervention.

Explainable artificial intelligence in web phishing classification on secure IoT with cloud-based cyber-physical systems

IoT is the technology that aids the interconnection of all kinds of devices over the internet to replace data, monitor devices and enhance actuators to create outcomes. Cyber-physical systems (CPS) contain control and computation components, which are compactly assured with physical procedures. The internet plays a prominent role in modern lives, and the cybersecurity challenge caused by phishing attacks is significant. This research presents a novel approach to address this problem using machine learning (ML) methods for phishing website classification. Leveraging feature extraction and innovative algorithms, the projected method aims to distinguish between malicious and legitimate websites by features of phishing attempts and analyzing inherent patterns. Phishing is a significant threat that causes extensive financial losses for internet users yearly. This fraudulent act includes identity hackers utilizing clever approaches to deceive individuals into revealing sensitive data. Generally, phishers use strategies such as advanced phishing software and fake emails to illegally acquire confidential details like usernames and passwords from financial accounts. This article develops an Explainable Artificial Intelligence with Aquila Optimization Algorithm in Web Phishing Classification (XAIAOA-WPC) approach on secure Cyber-Physical Systems. The developed XAIAOA-WPC approach mainly emphasizes the effectual classification and recognition of web phishing based on CPS. In the first phase, preprocessing is carried out on three levels: data cleaning, text preprocessing, and standardization. Furthermore, the Harris' Hawks optimization-based feature selection (HHO-FS) method is applied to derive feature subsets. The XAIAOA-WPC method utilizes a multi-head attention-based long short-term memory (MHA-LSTM) model for web phishing recognition. Besides, the detection outcomes of the MHA-LSTM approach are enhanced by using the Aquila optimization algorithm (AOA) model. At last, the XAIAOA-WPC method incorporates the XAI model LIME for superior perception and explainability of the black-box process for precise identification of intrusions. The simulation outcome of the XAIAOA-WPC method is examined on a benchmark database. The experimental validation of the XAIAOA-WPC method exhibited a superior accuracy value of 99.29 % over existing techniques.

Women digital financial inclusion and economic growth in Nigeria

PurposeThis article analyses the trend in women digital financial inclusion in Nigeria using some digital financial inclusion indicators obtained from the global Findex database for the year 2014, 2017 and 2021. The study also analyses the relationship between women digital financial inclusion and economic growth.Design/methodology/approachThe data were analysed using the two-stage least squares (2SLS) and generalised method of moments (GMM) regression estimation methods. The women digital financial inclusion indicators are the percentage of women who (1) own a mobile money account, (2) made a digital payment, (3) received digital payments, (4) made or received a digital payment, (5) own a credit card and (6) own a debit card.FindingsThe trend analysis shows a sustained, although small, improvement in women mobile money account ownership during the period, while the other indicators witnessed a decrease in 2017 and an increase in 2021, except for women credit card ownership which remained at the same level during the period examined. There is a significant positive relationship between women digital financial inclusion and economic growth. Internet usage has a significant positive effect on women digital financial inclusion in Nigeria.Practical implicationsGreater digital financial inclusion for women can accelerate economic growth in Nigeria. Policymakers should encourage investment in fintech and broaden access to the Internet to increase women digital financial inclusion and economic growth in Nigeria. Policymakers and practitioners in Nigeria should also work collaboratively to increase digital financial inclusion for women due to its potential to increase economic growth in Nigeria.Originality/valueExisting studies did not analyse the trends in women digital financial inclusion. Existing studies did not empirically analyse the impact of women digital financial inclusion on economic growth in Nigeria. The present study fills this gap in the literature.

A review of research on the development of low-orbit Internet constellations

In recent years, with the surge in Internet users, innovative companies such as SpaceX and OneWeb have planned to build low-orbit Internet constellations, triggering a global boom in the development of low-orbit satellite Internet constellations. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the development of low-orbit Internet constellations at home and abroad and the technical difficulties currently faced by low-orbit Internet constellations in their development. This paper first introduces three representative low-orbit Internet constellation plans abroad (Starlink, OneWeb, Lightspeed) and the latest development of domestic constellations. Then, based on the characteristics of low-orbit Internet constellations, the five major technical challenges faced by low-orbit Internet constellations are analyzed in detail: constellation relative motion evolution prediction, constellation autonomous navigation and orbit determination, constellation variable path planning, constellation self-organization collaborative control, constellation communication and network services. Finally, based on the current development trend of low-orbit Internet constellations, suggestions are given for the development of low-orbit Internet constellations in my country based on my country's national conditions.

Study of Factors Affecting Consumers’ Online Clothing Purchase Intention

Online shopping has taken a crucial position in the 21st century, because most people are busy with their working life and make them having less time to go for shopping. In this case, online shopping purchase is the easiest and most appropriate channel for them to do their purchase. Internet has rapidly developed into a global perspective as it has changed the way for customers to shop. The spread of the internet causes the term of “online shopping” exist in year 1979. It is said that online marketing has gained huge popularity and importance all over the world. It is expected that by the end of 2040, the number would increase to more than 1.5 billion as far as internet user is concerned. One of the famous product that customers purchase online was clothing. However, there is a limited research being done regarding on how the customers in Sibu, Sarawak (Malaysia) purchase their clothes, whether they purchase at the retail store or do their purchase online. So, this research study seeks to explore what are the factors affecting customers’ online clothing purchase intention in Malaysia, particularly in Sibu, Sarawak.

Social Media Addiction and Cognitive Behavioral Physical Activity Among Adolescent Girls: A Cross-Sectional Study.

To measure a multivariate analysis of social media addiction and cognitive-behavioral physical activity associated with several sociodemographic characteristics in adolescent girls. A cross-sectional study. The sample consisted of adolescent girls studying in a vocational high-school in the Middle-Black-Sea region in Türkiye (n = 333). A questionnaire, Social Media Addiction Scale-for-Adolescents (SMAS-A), and Cognitive-Behavioral Physical Activity Questionnaire (CBPAQ) were used to collect the data. The mean age was 15.35(SD=1.15), and 29.4% were the ninth-class students. Of the adolescent girls, 85.9% were social-media users, 59.8% used the internet 2-hours-or-more/daily, 67.9% declared themselves as moderately-active. The mean scores of the SMAS-A and the CBPAQ were 3.40 (SD=1.61) and 21.03(SD=7.64), respectively. There was a significantly-negative correlation between cognitive-behavioral physical activity and social-media addiction levels. The One-Way MANOVA results showed significant differences in the academic level, family income, mother education, and physical activity measurement application usage affected to cognitive-behavioral physical activity. Social media usage habit affected to the social media addiction level. Daily internet usage time and self-declared physical activity level were the mutually affected factors. School nurses should act to improve healthy social media usage habits to promote well-being and encourage the positive attitudes towards regular physical activity in this population.

UPAYA PENINGKATAN NILAI EKONOMIS PRODUK UMKM MELALUI SOSIALISASI BISNIS DIGITAL DI DESA CILANGKARA

Technological developments, especially in digital business, have had a positive impact on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in rural areas, such as Cilangkara Village. Even though the growth trend of internet users in Indonesia shows a significant increase, observations and interviews show that the majority of village residents have not shown sufficient interest in entrepreneurship, especially in facing current developments. In this context, the community service program by Islamic University 45 Bekasi students aims to provide education and increase village residents' interest and skills in entrepreneurship, especially by implementing digital business. Implementation methods, such as observation, outreach and training, are expected to stimulate interest and provide support to village residents, including providing business tools to MSMEs that are not yet running. Digital business education is the key to increasing the competitiveness of MSMEs and driving economic potential at the local level, as is being pursued through community service activities in Cilangkara Village. The latest evaluation shows an improvement in the quality of life of the community, especially among MSMEs in Cilangkara Village, through increasing operational capabilities of digital applications for analysis, marketing and product production. It is hoped that the success of this program will be a sustainable first step to improve and produce MSMEs that are able to compete and develop along with the times.

Mixed Poisson Processes with Dropout for Consumer Studies

We adapt the classical mixed Poisson process models for investigation of consumer behaviour in a situation where after a random time we can no longer identify a customer despite the customer remaining in the panel and continuing to perform buying actions. We derive explicit expressions for the distribution of the number of purchases by a random customer observed at a random subinterval for a given interval. For the estimation of parameters in the gamma–Poisson scheme, we use the estimator minimizing the Hellinger distance between the sampling and model distributions, and demonstrate that this method is almost as efficient as the maximum likelihood being much simpler. The results can be used for modelling internet user behaviour where cookies and other user identifiers naturally expire after a random time.

Exploring strategies to mitigate Internet's environmental damage: An investigation of intrinsic, extrinsic, and price‐based strategies

AbstractThe internet infrastructure, for example, the data centers, is purported to be making substantial damage to the environment. While there are many studies on the national or global interventions and technology developments to minimize environmental damage from the internet, very few have investigated the individual level strategies. This study examines individual‐level strategies, including intrinsic motivation (IM), extrinsic motivation, and price‐based interventions, that internet‐based organizations can implement to minimize the environmental impact of internet usage. The research aims to identify the most effective strategy for reducing individual internet usage after individuals become aware of the environmental consequences. The survey experiment results demonstrate that combining all three strategies proves most effective in mitigating the environmental damage caused by internet usage. Extrinsic motivation is particularly effective, both in combination with other strategies and when utilized independently after raising awareness. The results also depict that when taken individually, price‐based strategies (PPSs) show a lower impact, while IM exhibits the lowest impact on behavior change. Additionally, males exhibit a higher inclination towards extrinsic motivation strategies based on the multi‐group analysis. Remarkably, individuals, regardless of gender, age, income, or level of internet activity, show a willingness to adopt PPSs to decrease internet usage after exposure to an informational video. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of strategies to minimize the environmental impact of individual internet usage.

‘Living in a post-truth era’? Online misinformation in everyday life in rural and urban China

ABSTRACT This paper investigates everyday information seeking and misinformation among Internet users in rural and urban China. The research employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to identify user demographics and categories of misinformation encountered on mobile devices online. The paper makes two contributions: one is to bridge hitherto unconnected research on everyday information practices with the literature on misinformation. The second is to demonstrate that, despite the assumption that China’s tightly controlled online space leads to less of a misinformation problem, this is not the case in everyday life contexts. The findings may have wider implications, especially in the Global South.

Associations of Regular Internet Usage with All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study

ObjectivesThe impact of internet usage on mortality is not widely known. This study intended to investigate the associations between regular internet usage and the risks of all-cause and cause-specific mortality, while also ascertaining potential factors that may modify these correlations. DesignA community-based prospective cohort study. Setting and ParticipantsThe study included 21,481 individuals [mean (SD) age, 64.1 (11.0) years] from the Health and Retirement Study, with data collected between 2006 and 2020. MethodsThe Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to evaluate the associations between regular internet usage and the risks of all-cause and cause-specific mortality, adjusting for demographic factors, lifestyle behaviors, and other potential confounding factors. Moreover, we explored the association between daily hours of internet usage and the risk of outcomes. ResultsRegular internet usage was significantly associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.74-0.83) and cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.64-0.82). No significant interaction effects were observed for age, sex, regular exercise, or current alcohol consumption (all P interactions > .05). Additionally, estimations for daily hours of usage indicated a U-shaped relationship with all-cause mortality. Adults who used 2.1 to 4 hours per day had the lowest risk; however, not all estimations showed their significance on account of the limited sample size. Conclusions and ImplicationsRegular internet usage was associated with a lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, which may prompt consideration of the beneficial impact of internet usage on lifespan.

The role of governance in the effect of the internet on financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT This paper analyses the role of governance quality in the relationship between the Internet and financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan African countries. The study uses data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) database for indicators of financial inclusion, World Development Indicators (WDI) for Internet users and World Governance Indicators (WGI) for governance indicators from 2004 to 2020. Analyzing the data using the System Generalized Method of Moments (SGMM), the results show that the Internet can be effectively complemented with the quality of governance to improve financial inclusion. Thresholds of governance that are needed for the Internet to promote financial inclusion are provided. Policies aimed at reinforcing the quality of governance in SSA countries could help consolidate Internet infrastructure to promote Internet usage and, in turn, improve financial inclusion. Other policy implications are discussed.

Dinâmicas de imperialismo e colonialismo na era digital

The investigation presents a reflection on data market strategies anchored in imperialism and colonialism in the digital era. It discusses the commodification of internet user data on different digital platforms, as well as strategies to mitigate these practices and studies on the topic. The research is descriptive, bibliographic and qualitative, reflecting on data, information, power and manipulation of society through digital platforms. The bibliographic survey was carried out on the Capes Periodicals Portal considering only articles published in open access and peer-reviewed, covering the entire period available until December 2023. The data market carried out by large technology corporations exerts dominance over the economy and culture, through the control and exploitation of user information. This phenomenon raises concerns related to privacy, concentration of power and digital exclusion. The data market presents significant challenges in the digital era, demanding effective responses from civil society, governments and international organizations. To address this problem, it is essential that Brazil strengthens its technology industry and implements data protection policies.

Unveiling Mobile Wallet Adoption: Exploring UTAUT's Influence on Behavioral Intentions

In today’s world, smartphones have become the most important part of life. It has changed the lifestyles of many people. In recent times, the usage of smartphones has increased dramatically as it offers various benefits to its users. The rapid evolution of digital payment technologies has propelled the emergence of mobile wallets as a convenient and potentially transformative means of financial transactions. The current research focuses on analyzing the effects of UTAUT on users’ behavioral intentions for using Mobile wallet technology. In this empirical study, the main concepts of the UTAUT model are explained. Adopting the UTAUT framework, the survey evaluates important factors that influence users' intentions to adopt mobile wallets. This study uses survey data from 110 Internet users, which will be examined using regression, correlation, and weighted mean analysis. This research revealed positive significant correlation between intention and performance expectations, effort expectations, social norms, and privacy. However, it was also found that performance expectation, effort expectation and privacy of personal information had a significant positive influence on behavioral intention.

India's digital dividend: A strategic opportunity and challenge

India has been on a digital growth trajectory for a few years, prompted by its goal of becoming a trillion-dollar digital economy by 2025. The Indian digital revolution has resulted in a new wave of digital consumption and dividends. This manuscript examines the transformative journey of India's digital revolution, highlighting the strategic opportunities and challenges it encompasses. The Digital India initiative, a cornerstone government policy, has been instrumental in this transformative process, aiming to digitize various aspects of life and governance. Despite a significant increase in internet users and the successful launch of numerous digital projects, a substantial digital divide remains, characterized by disparities in mobile phone ownership, internet access, and digital literacy across different genders, geographical locations, and income groups. Using a qualitative research methodology, this study investigates the economic impact of digitalization on the Indian economy and identifies factors contributing to the digital divide. An extensive literature review and qualitative content analysis identified five primary themes: the digital profile of India, digitization and economic growth, digitalization and economic variables, digitalization across sectors, and the digital divide. These themes elucidate India's progress in digital literacy and financial inclusion, the economic advantages of digitalization, and the obstacles to achieving digital inclusivity. The manuscript proposes a developmental framework with recommendations for policymakers, business leaders, and other stakeholders to mitigate the digital divide and maximize the benefits of digital dividends. It underscores the necessity of a comprehensive digital strategy, the enhancement of digital infrastructure, the development of digital human resources, the promotion of digital literacy, and the fostering of digital entrepreneurial capacity.

Exploring the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Telehealth Platform for Older Adults with Noncommunicable Diseases and Chronic Viral Hepatitis.

Background: Telehealth improves access to health care and potentially leads to better clinical outcomes. However, digital competence could be an essential factor in ensuring its adoption, particularly among older adults. This study evaluated the acceptability and perception of a mobile application platform among Thai older patients with chronic diseases according to their demographics and digital skills. Methods: The demographic information and internet usage profiles of patients with nonmalignant chronic diseases, including chronic viral hepatitis, were collected. Participants were grouped based on their self-perceived digital familiarity. The chi-square test was used to evaluate the associations between the parameters. Results: Among 710 participants (61.7% women, mean age: 66.2 years), digital familiarity was significantly higher among individuals aged <70 years, men, those with a bachelor's degree or higher, those with higher incomes, and Bangkok residents (p < 0.001). In this study, regular use of smartphones and the internet, but not messaging applications, was associated with self-perceived digital familiarity. Of these, 100 participants completed a survey evaluating their satisfaction with and perceptions of telehealth. Participants with greater digital familiarity demonstrated significantly higher satisfaction with telemedicine compared with those with limited ability or relied on caretakers (χ2 = 70.145, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our data indicated that a user-friendly mobile application is feasible and acceptable for the management of chronic diseases in older patients. Digital familiarity is an important factor associated with satisfaction with the platform, underscoring the need to bridge digital skill gaps and ensure equitable health care delivery.

Data Mining Techniques used for Evaluation an Efficient DDoS Attack Detection System: A Deep-Learning Model

Developed recently to solve the shortcomings of traditional networks, software-defined networking is a new paradigm (SDN). Decoupling the control plane from the data plane, which is the SDN's core property, makes network management simpler and promotes effective programmability. The new design, on the other hand, is vulnerable to a number of attacks that could exhaust the system's resources and prohibit the SDN controller from offering services to authorized users. One of these threats, the Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) assault is one that is gaining popularity. A DDoS assault has a severe negative effect on emphasize servers have no ability to access their network facilities as a result. accommodate legitimate users. We introduce DDoS Net, a DDoS attacks system for intrusion detection for SDN systems. Our approach is based on data mining software (Rapdiminer) and neural networks working along with auto encoders. As a result, we have a lot of faith in protecting these networks thanks to our methods. We assess the CICIDS 2019 dataset, which includes network behavior associated with DDoS threat and benign network activity, is publicly available, and satisfies certain requirements. It evaluates a variety of data mining algorithms' efficacy as well as internet usage characteristics to determine the best attributes for spotting the most typical assault kinds.

Impact of digital transformation on financial stability in emerging markets: evidence from Ethiopia

This insightful study delves into the intricate relationship between key digital finance adoption indicators and the stability of the banking sector in Ethiopia, an emerging economy undergoing rapid digitalization. Covering annual data from 1991 to 2022 and utilizing an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach alongside Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) and Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) techniques, the researchers uncover thought-provoking findings that challenge conventional wisdom. Contrary to expectations of a positive long-term association, the analysis reveals a statistically significant negative relationship between both internet usage and mobile phone subscriptions and Ethiopia's banking system's financial stability. This robust result, validated through rigorous robustness checks, suggests that the breakneck pace of digital transformation may outpace the development of robust regulatory frameworks and risk management practices, ultimately undermining the overall stability of the financial sector. Interestingly, the short-term analysis presents a more nuanced picture, with mobile phone subscriptions exhibiting a stabilizing effect in the immediate aftermath. This intriguing dichotomy highlights the complex and evolving dynamics at play, where the challenges of integrating digital finance with the traditional banking infrastructure and the persistence of informal financial activities potentially offset the benefits of enhanced financial inclusion and transaction efficiency. These thought-provoking findings carry crucial implications for policymakers and industry stakeholders navigating the digital revolution. Policy implications emphasize the need for robust regulatory frameworks, enhanced cyber security measures, and improved financial literacy. The findings underscore the importance of a nuanced approach to digital finance in emerging economies, advocating for continuous adaptation of policies to address the evolving landscape of financial technology. Continued inquiry can better guide policies that foster digital transformation while safeguarding stability, especially in rapidly developing regions like sub-Saharan Africa.Graphical