Ipsos-Reid is out with new figures confirming that the online population continues to grow. Japan led the way in 2004; increased Internet use brought the total online population to 80% of households. In the US, the number of Internet users grew 27% over 2003, contradicting expectations that Internet adoption had peaked following the bursting of the dot-com bubble.

Forty-two percent of the US population—162 million people—use the Net, according to the study, The Face of the Web.

According to Brian Cruikshank, Senior Vice-President of Ipsos-Insight: ???The continued growth in the Leading Edge markets provides a glimpse into the future of what is yet to come for other markets around the world, potentially at a much accelerated pace. Considering it???s only been five years since the financial markets??? enthusiasm for the Internet waned, and 10 years since broad adoption of the Internet, Internet growth continues to expand in developed markets and reach critical mass in many markets in Europe and Asia. There???s much more to come.???

Source: Ipsos-Insight, The Face of the Web 2004, survey of 6,544 adults in 12 global markets, October 2004