People want ‘better access to education’ for next 30 years of the Internet

‘Connecting people’ and ‘enhanced communication’ seen as the top benefits of the web so far, according to survey

Inspired by the 30th anniversary of the World Wide Web, a survey was conducted with over 11,000 respondents from across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Survey participants shared what the web has made possible for them so far and also what they hope for the future.

The results, collected for Cisco by Opinion Matters, indicate that better access to education (63 percent) and better access to healthcare (57 percent) are top priorities for the Internet’s future.

Participants also felt that the web has made several things more accessible and convenient over the last 30 years like staying up to date and informed (74 percent), followed by entertainment (71 percent), and staying in touch with family and friends (70 percent).

Internet connects and helps communication

Over a third of participants indicated that they wouldn’t be able to function in their personal lives without the Internet and the most popular impacts were communication-based, specifically ‘connecting people’ and ‘enhanced communication’.

Commenting on the survey, Wendy Mars, President of Cisco EMEAR said:

The survey shows the impact that the World Wide Web and the Internet has had on our lives, and what people expect for the future. To realize that potential, organisations – be it in healthcare, education, or any other industry – must be able to understand the power of connections and securely extract value from them.

Participants believe that the industries that will benefit most from technological advances are healthcare (34 percent) followed by education (32 percent).