When asked what online activities they perform, 67% of internet users in Armenia named social networking (that is, social networking sites — SNS — such as Facebook, Twitter, Odnoklassniki, and so on).

Among SNS users, the percentage of those in Armenia who use the Russian social networking site Odnoklassniki dropped: in 2011, this figure was 81%; in 2013, it dropped to 65%, while the percentage of Facebook users nearly tripled: from 12% in 2011 to 33% in 2013.

These are just some of the results from the latest Caucasus Research Resource Center – Armenia (CRRC Armenia) survey within the framework of the 2013 Alternative Resources in Media program.

According to the survey, 51% of the respondents used the internet once in the last 12 months. Regarding the activities performed in social networking sites, 90% of SNS users said they communicate with friends; 41% post photos, videos, music; 54% get information; and only 3% “satisfy freedom of expression and desire for information.”

Of SNS users, 13% said they use social networking sites to share political or social views. In 2011, this figure was 7%.

Of internet users, 59% watch videos online, while only 10% upload videos online. Of those who watch videos, 81% watch music videos; 63% fun videos; 51% films; 23% news programs; 14% watch sports; and 13% videos with political content.

Asked if they have ever made a political or social comment and posted online, only 6% said yes. However, in 2011, this figure was 3%.

Among those who used the internet once in the last 12 months (considered “internet users” for the purposes of this study), 70% use Google Chrome as their main browser; 7% use Opera; 5% use Firefox; 3% use Internet Explorer; and15% apparently didn’t know what browser they use.

Asked which operating system they use in general, a whopping 80% of internet users said they use Windows; 1% use Apple OS; and 0.1% use Linux, while 19% didn’t know what operating system they use. 

The raw data of this survey is available on the CRRC Armenia website.

Gegham Vardanyan