Estonian Human Development Report

type more commonly includes older people, women, and
people with a secondary education.
The online activities of entertainment and communication-oriented
small-scale Internet users (15%) are characterized
by searching for entertainment as well as communication
with friends and acquaintances, while their
Internet use remains passive with regard to other purposes.
This group includes more men, members of younger
age groups and therefore also people with a basic education
and those belonging to the lowest income group.
Small-scale Internet users (10%) are not characterized
by any specific practice of Internet use and their online
behaviour is generally in the developmental stage. Smallscale
users comprise a larger than average share of older
people and people with a secondary education, as well as
members of the Russian-speaking population.
The user types also differ in terms of their frequency
of Internet use. In general, 96% of Internet users have used
the Internet during the past week. The members of the
three more active types of Internet users have all used the
Internet during the past week (Figure 5.3.4.).
Figures 5.3.5.–5.3.7. compare the types of Internet users
on the basis of data gathered during surveys conducted over
the last six years. Types of Internet users, in whose case the
nature of activities is the same or very similar but the names
used in surveys are different, have been depicted using the
same colour. The percentage indicates the relative importance
of the user type in the entire population. The visually
clearest development is the significant decrease in the share
of non-users over the six year period. This is partially a result
of Estonia’s national policy which has continued to increase
Internet use through education, information campaigns, and
improved accessibility. Another aspect related to the increase
of users is the network-based nature of the Internet, which
means that every user adds value to various online services
and opportunities. In conjunction with the growth of the
percentage of Internet users, there has also been an increase
in the relative importance of active user types. Small-scale
users are increasingly less common among Internet users,
although their level has remained steady in the context of the
entire population over the examined period.
Use of public e-services and
online participation in public life as
factors influencing quality of life in
information society
The democratic potential of information and communication
technologies can be assessed in several different ways.
We can study the availability of various services facilitating
civic involvement at the national level or the level of local
governments. In this regard, Estonia enjoys a relatively high
position according to international indexes. If we examine
the frequency of use of these applications, however, we notice
that the initiatives of the government sector have not always
been popular or widely used among Estonia’s population. A
considerably larger share of people’s daily online activities is
related to the consumption of services and entertainment,
which does not necessarily lead to improved e-participation
and the development of democratic citizenship. Nevertheless,
the role of the usability of services provided by the
state in terms of developing its citizens’ practices of Internet
use and shaping their quality of life must not be underestimated.
Since most e-services allow citizens to save time and
Figure 5.3.5. Percentage of Internet users and nonusers
of the entire population in 2002
Versatile
interactive
Internet user
Versatile
5%
information user
6%
Communicator
8%
User of services related
to private life
5%
Participant
in the virtual
public sphere
7%
Small-scale user
9%
Source: Mina. Maailm. Meedia 2002
Non-user
60%
Figure 5.3.6. Percentage of Internet users and nonusers
of the entire population in 2005
Pragmatic work
and information
oriented user 11%
Communication
and entertainment
oriented user 11%
Source: Mina. Maailm. Meedia 2005
Versatile
user
7%
User of public and
practical information
13%
Entertainment and
family information
oriented user
9%
Small-scale
user 11%
Non-user
38%
Figure 5.3.7. Percentage of Internet users and nonusers
of the entire population in 2008
Practical
work oriented
Internet user
16%
Entertainment
oriented active
user
13%
Active, versatile
Internet user
10%
Practical
information oriented
small-scale user
15%
Source: Mina. Maailm. Meedia 2008
Non-user
29%
Small-scale
user 7%
Entertainment and
communication oriented
small-scale user
10%
access necessary resources more easily, the provision of such
services is another sign of an improvement of quality of life.
Information technology has a more direct effect on the quality
of life in Estonia, for example, when people have difficulties
finding a suitable job near their home, i.e. when they have
the option of teleworking through the Internet. In such a case
ICT can directly help us solve specific social problems. In this
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