The Russian Spectrum presents the results of Levada, FOM, and VCIOM polls over the past dozen years showing the rapid digitization of Russian society.
The Internet in Russia
The three questions used were all similar: “Do you use the Internet, and if so how frequently?”
Also in the latest Levada poll: “Do you use the Internet, and if so for what purpose?”
| Apr-11 | Nov-11 | Feb-12 | Apr-13 | |
| To track the latest news | 18 | 22 | 24 | 26 |
| To find out what’s happening here and abroad | 9 | 12 | 14 | 16 |
| To find needed information | 32 | 34 | 39 | 42 |
| To find/read books | 8 | 9 | 14 | 15 |
| To find/watch films | 15 | 17 | 22 | 25 |
| To find/listen to music | 16 | 17 | 20 | 23 |
| To find/buy goods or services | 7 | 10 | 12 | 18 |
| For entertainment | 16 | 18 | 21 | 28 |
| For communication | 24 | 25 | 33 | 38 |
| Other | <1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| I don’t use the Internet | 54 | 50 | 45 | 41 |
Translator notes
A person is generally considered to be using the Internet if he uses it once a month or more frequently. In 2013, according to Levada, 48% of Russians used the Internet every day, 10% – several times a week, 2% – two or three times a month, 1% – once a month.
We see from the graph above that in Moscow (and from the data, St.-Petersburg too) reach a plateau at about 70% penetration. That is the penetration level of developed countries generally. Therefore, we can expect to see the pace of Russian Internet penetration to now drop off markedly, as the market reaches saturation.
