NEW YORK, March 29, 2006 - Global Internet adoption is showing signs of slowing, with many of the world's leading Internet economies displaying modest year-over-year growth, according to Ipsos Insight's annual The Face of the Web study. During 2005, the global online population grew a modest 5% year-over-year, well short of the 20% growth rate observed in 2004. In addition, the number of individuals expecting to access the Internet in the next 12 months was about the same in 2005 as 2004, indicating prospects for growth in 2006 may be just as temperate.

The latest findings from The Face of the Web - based on interviews in 12 key global markets with more than 6,500 adults, including 3,462 active Internet users - reflect adoption possibilities of the Internet that few other technologies have shown in the past. Ipsos Insight, the global survey-based marketing research firm, has been tracking global Internet developments since 1999.

Driving overall global Internet user growth in 2005 was Japan, which now accounts for roughly 75 million users. Japan also remains the world's No.1 Internet-based economy, as nearly nine in 10 (89%) claim to have used the Internet in the past 30 days, while users averaged nearly 14 hours per week online. France witnessed the most significant year-over-year gains in Internet adoption among the 12 global markets tracked in the study: today, just over 60% of adults age 18 or older in France use the Internet regularly, representing more than a 12-point increase from 2004 (48%).

To read the full release, with accompanying charts, please go to: http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/pressrelease.cfm?id=3030

Adam Wright
    Ipsos Insight
    612.573.8536
    adam.wright@ipsos-na.com