Studying the awareness and attitude of the population towards FTOP “Electronic Russia” projects and arrangements.

This material provides the results of analysis of the data received during the poll of the Russian sample population representative sample, carried out by the All-Russian Public Opinion Center (ARPOC). The poll was carried out since November 26^th till December 2^nd, 2003. 1600 individuals were interrogated.

Methodology of research

The research sample covered 1600 persons. It was based on the multistage and stratification scheme:

1. The first stage: selection of city settlements and rural administration areas.

1.1 Preliminary stratification

At the first stage, city settlements and rural administration areas acted as initial sampling units (ISU). 5 “types” of ISU were defined:

- cities with the population more than 1 million

- cities with the population from 500 thousand up to 1 million

- cities with the population from 100 thousand up to 500 thousand

- cities and urban villages with the population from 10 thousand up to 100 thousand

- rural administrative areas including urban villages, with the population less than 10 thousand and rural settlements.

For each stratum the number of constantly residing adult inhabitants and share of this stratum in adult population of Russia were calculated.

1.2 Selection of settlements

The next stage was distribution of initial amount (1600 respondents) among all strata proportionate to adult population of each stratum. ISU number, which needs to be selected in each stratum, was determined proceeding from limitation of average number of respondents within one settlement (10 – 15% of respondents).

Thus, at the first stage of sampling from 1 up to 8 initial selective units, depending on the number of respondents falling on stratum, were selected in each stratum. The quantity of questionnaires falling on stratum shares fifty-fifty between the selected points of poll. Selection of ISU (city settlements and rural administrative areas) was carried out by haphazard procedure, with probability proportionate to size.

The given procedure was not applied to the stratum of “cities with population over 1 million” since all of them (10 cities) are included in the sample as independent statistical objects. The sample covers in total 100 ISU, including:

- 10 cities with the population more than 1 million;

- 11 cities with the population from 500 thousand up to 1 million;

- 21 cities with the population from 100 up to 500 thousand;

- 24 cities with the population from 10 up to 100 thousand;

- 34 city and rural settlements (villages, country sides and rural villages with the population less than 10 thousand).

2. The second stage: selection of points of poll. In city settlements simple random selection of points of poll is performed. The number of points of poll was determined proceeding from limitation of average number of respondents within one point of poll (7 – 12% of respondents). Thus, at the second stage of sampling from 1 up to 10 points of poll depending on the number of respondents falling on ISU were selected in each ISU. The quantity of questionnaires falling on ISU shares fifty-fifty between the selected points of poll. In total the sample includes 163 points of poll.

3. The third step: selection of households. It is performed by means of random routing method under the standard instructions developed by experts in sample designing along with experts in organization of field works.

4. The fourth step: selection of respondent in household. This stage assumes use of share method of selection with application of sexual, age and educational characteristics. Research is carried out at home of respondent in the form of personal interview.

The following measures were taken in order to control work of interviewers:

-  control of route charts;

- selective 10%-control of the interviews conducted by method of repeated visiting, repeated telephone interviewing, as well as postal method;

-  logical control of data file.

At the stage of initial processing, data of research are evaluated by sex, age, educational level, federal district, type of settlement.

Statistical error of the sample does not exceed 3,4 %

Structure of the interrogated (in percentage):

Attitude of the population towards development of information technologies

Almost two fifth of all interrogated (39 %) consider reduction of Russia’s lagging behind advanced countries in the field of information technologies development very important both for the country, and for themselves, and another one third considers it “very important”. The given problem is regarded to be of especial urgency, above others, by respondents with higher education, highly skilled experts, and also the youngest age group.

This results first of all from the fact, that these particular layers of the population are, to the utmost, competent and interested in the given subject, they actively use information technologies, first of all PC and the Internet, in their day-to-day activity - studies, work, in leisure and, though to a lesser degree, in consumer behavior. At the same time for other groups this problem also appears to be important enough. Only 17 % of all interrogated consider, that this is “not very important” or “completely unimportant”, and the significant share of people, giving the most negative rating of the given problem, is made up by socially peripheral groups - elderly, low-educated, low-income groups.

The data of the present poll regarding priority, in opinion of interrogated, directions of development of information technologies only partially can be compared to the data, received earlier, since new positions concerning the problem of availability of information on activities of government bodies of various levels were entered into the question of the present poll. At the same time, hierarchy of priorities in directions of development of computerization and informatization of society, selected by respondents, was mostly preserved.

Table 1. Which of the following directions of information technologies’ development in our country seem the most important to you now? (in % of the number of respondents)

For the overwhelming majority of interrogated, priority directions of development of information technologies are those, which first of all are connected with expansion of access to computer equipment and increase of computer literacy. Thus 60 % of interrogated put on the first place such task, as provision of schools, high schools, medical institutions with computers; the second place, according to last poll, was occupied by the problem of increase of computer literacy (40 % of all interrogated), that, certainly, is connected with intensive enough rates of computerization in Russia, observed within last years. Thus, PC skills are already owned by about one third of interrogated (while about one fifth of them have access to computer), 17 % of all interrogated are able to use the Internet, and here gap in opportunity of accessing it is lower - according to the last poll 12 % of interrogated have access to the Internet.

More than one fifth of interrogated consider increase of the amount of computers, which are in domestic use (28 %) the most important direction at the present stage, and as in previous evaluations of directions of development of information society, the youngest respondents and also people with higher education specify these directions much more often than others. Such form of broadening of access to information technologies, as opening of public PC and Internet access outlets at the present moment is significant for one fifth of interrogated, that is rather a high rate (among the youngest this rate is the highest – 35 %).

Attitude of the population towards such project of FPER, as maintenance by means of Internet- technologies of access to the information on activities of government bodies, possibility of interaction with them by means of the Internet, appears less important for interrogated in the offered list of IT development directions. The possibility of addressing to authorities by means of the Internet network interests the interrogated on average a bit more, than receipt of the information on government and local self-management bodies in the network (13 and 8 % correspondently). The following distinction is observed here: younger, socially active and socially advanced groups are more focused on receipt of the information on activities of authorities, while senior respondents, inhabitants of remote settlements having low social and consumer status are to a greater extent focused on possibility of addressing to authorities by means of the Internet.

One of the most important attributes, which allow to estimate level of awareness and interest of the population to the projects realized with the framework of FPER, is the type of settlement where respondents live. Basically, urbanization factor is one of determining factors for rates and scales of processes of computerization - in “capitals” and large cities these rates are more dynamic in comparison with less urbanized settlements, especially village.

More well-to-do in many respects, including level of a computerization, Muscovites are anxious about the problem of Russia’s lagging behind advanced countries in development of information technologies in a lesser degree than all other inhabitants of cities of different size, and also village. While on average 72 % of interrogated consider that “very important” or “rather important” for themselves and for the country, in Moscow that is only 63 %; residents of large cities demonstrate the highest rate here. Most likely, this specifies not only favorable enough position of Muscovites, so far availability of modern computer and information technologies is concerned, in comparison with other types of settlements, but also existence of a greater gap in non-capital cities between readiness and desire to take advantage of achievements of these technologies and real opportunities of access to them.

For this reason, residents of non-capital cities, especially those of small size, despite of lower awareness of FPER program and its projects, demonstrate rather significant interest to them and hopes for success of their realization as it, basically, may open currently inaccessible opportunities of PC and the Internet use for them.

The ideas of Muscovites of the IT priority development directions are also a bit differ from opinions of inhabitants of other cities. Thus, Muscovites much less often than inhabitants of medium and small-size cities, as well as village, note such socially important direction, aimed at upgrade of education sphere, public health services and so forth, as provision of schools, high schools, and medical institutions with computers. Approximately, one third of Muscovites consider increase of number of computers, which are in domestic use, to be an urgent question, and that specifies more pronounced orientation towards family consumption of modern achievements of engineering, in particular, computer equipment.

At the same time, Muscovites being more “advanced” in use of computers, much more often than inhabitants of other cities and villages consider opening of public Internet access outlets to be a priority, i. e. consider the problem of broadening of access to computers and the Internet topical. Also, more often than inhabitants of other cities, Muscovites demonstrate interest to public information on activities of authorities, available due to application of Internet-technologies.

At the same time worth paying attention is high amount of Muscovites, who find difficulty in giving certain answer to the given question (23 %, at the average of 16 %). By other data, which will be discussed further, more indifferent or skeptical attitude towards state programs and projects on computerization and development of information technologies is generally inherent in Muscovites. At the same time, residents of the capital are more distinguished by independent or self-sufficient behavior in this sphere, smaller dependence on the state programs and decisions, than the inhabitants of peripheral and less advanced cities.

Let's result the comparative data on priority directions of IT development, as seen by inhabitants of settlements of various type and administrative status:

Table 2. Which of directions of information technologies in our country seem the most important to you now? (in % of interrogated in corresponding type of settlement)

In various social and professional groups, first of all pupils were most active in their answers about priorities of development of information technologies. They much more frequently than others noted all directions actually connected with processes of computerization, but had also demonstrated low interest in maintenance of availability of the information on activities of authorities by means of the Internet and possibilities of interaction with them in the same modern way. Among various social and professional groups increased interest to this direction of IT development was shown only by businessmen (though here it is necessary to take into account small number of this group), and also it is a bit above average among experts, who are basically distinguished by bigger involvement into reality of sociopolitical life of the country.

Interest to the information on state authorities

Though the given direction of FPER program is not a top priority for the interrogated population, at the same time, quantities of potential users of possibilities of interaction with authorities are rather significant. Thus, about two fifth of all interrogated (41 %) “definitely” or “rather” would take advantage of public places of Internet access in order to get information and/or address to government bodies, and the greatest interest to this possibility is demonstrated by respondents with higher education, young students, and also respondents of mature age (40 - 54 years).

But still the comparative majority (47 %) “hardly” or “definitely would not” resort to such information service; and elderly, uneducated, low-qualified respondents living on periphery, having low social and consumer status, and correspondently the lowest income, dominate here, as well as in all other cases of negative or indifferent attitude to the questions connected with the subject studied.

But here it is worth mentioning, that for the half of all interrogated necessity of addressing to authorities in these or those occasions is generally irrelevant, irrespective of which method would be used for this purpose. Presence of such need will be found in the process of aging, and it is also connected with mode of employment of interrogated, his or her qualification. In other words, it is a question either of less socially protected layers of the population, or of those respondents for whom such information and possibility of interaction with authorities is connected with their professional work, business activity, and also with increased social and political engagement. 

In answers to more precise question on interest to various sorts of information connected with activities of government bodies, the share of respondents who did not show interest to this problem had made almost two fifth (38 %); in other words, interest to information of this type is distributed in the society wider, than the realized need for such interaction. On average the greatest interest is demonstrated by interrogated to receipt of the information of legislative and legal character (22 %), and also more precise information on long-term plans of development of the country, city or area where respondents live (19 %). Approximately the same-level interest was shown by respondents to the questions of current activities of authorities (18 %); other sorts of information on average interest not more than one tenth of all interrogated.

Remarkable is the fact, that on all mentioned positions, the interest to the corresponding type of information is much higher with respondents having higher education, rather high social and consumer status; at the same time in the age context greater interest to information on authorities is characteristic for representatives of mature age. The latter is most likely connected with two factors. First, the older respondents are, the bigger is share of those among them, who are less adapted for social and economic reality of our days. At the same time, the age group of 40 – 54 years demonstrates increased engagement in social and political problems, regardless of what had caused that. 

Now let's consider how interest to problems of importance for the population of open access to information on activities of government bodies, provided by new IT, analyzed here, differs among residents of the capital and other types of settlements.

Table 3. How important for development of the country and for yourselves do you consider the opportunity of open access to information on work of authorities and legislation? (comparison of the total of positive and negative answers)

It is remarkable, that among Muscovites rate of absence of need for the information connected with activities of authorities is among highest (39 %, this rate is higher only with village inhabitants - 46 %). If to speak about interest to information of various types and contents, Muscovites are most obviously distinguished by their interest to receipt of contact information (27 %, at the average of 16 %), interest to more specialized information – “statistical information”(17 %, at the average of 8 %), and also to “databases and selections of materials on various subjects” (17 %, at the average of 11 %).

Most manifold and quantitatively expressed are interests to different sorts of information concerning activity of authorities among inhabitants of large cities, in which possibility of computer equipment utilization gradually catches up with metropolitan level. For inhabitants of medium and small-size cities in the foreground is access to information related to changes in legislation, and also information on long-term plans of the city, area, etc., where they live - that is what may directly influence their daily life.

Among various social and professional groups the possibility of receipt by means of the Internet of easy access to information on activity of authorities, and also interaction with them, that represents the major component of civil right for easy access to information, is most significant for competent and high-status groups - experts, businessmen, managers, and also for those who are occupied in sales and services (those who directly face new economic market reality). On the contrary, groups representing antipole - the least provided respondents, respondents with low social status (pensioners, unskilled workers, the unemployed), show smaller interest to the given problem.

The same could be attributed to the group of students, for whom the problem of interaction with authority and information about it also appears not that urgent. Nevertheless, rates of interest to the given questions among students are approximately at the average level; besides in this group rather high interest to such type of information, as “databases and selections of materials on various subjects” is marked (31 % of this group, at the average of 11 %), that, in particular, is evidence of rather technologically advanced mode of work with information. 

At the same time namely the group of students had shown high degree of readiness for use of public Internet access outlets in order to receive information of such kind (53 % of students “definitely” or “rather” would take advantage of such opportunity at the average of 41 %). The level of this readiness is higher only among experts and businessmen (58 and 56 % correspondently, and also, apparently among managers, though they - as well as businessmen - are represented in the sample insignificantly, so it is rather worth speaking about tendency in the given groups).

In spite of the fact that as a whole interest in receipt of information on work of authorities is characteristic only approximately for half of all interrogated, overwhelming majority - 60 %  - consider presence of opportunity of public access to such information important (“very important” or “rather important”) that is evidence of rather high importance of the problem of interaction between society and authority for the population as a whole, and also value of free access to information.

Awareness of FPER program

According to the last wave of poll of the Russian population, share of respondents anyhow aware of existence and activity of FPER, as compared with previous data, remained approximately at the same level – there is one fifth of such respondents in this very poll (20 %). Respondents with higher education know about the program twice more often than average, while young and socially active respondents know about that a bit less often, but again more often than others  (8 and 7 % correspondently). The same groups, especially respondents with higher education, more often than others know that the Ministry of Communications supervises the given program.

Though the share of those who are well informed on the program is higher among Muscovites, general number of people knowing at least something about it is higher in large cities (22 and 27 % correspondently).

Table 4. Question: “Do you know about the Federal target-oriented program “Electronic Russia”?”

Table 5. Question: “Do you know, that coordinator of the program “Electronic Russia” is the Ministry of Communications of Russia?” (for those who know about the program “Electronic Russia”)

Awareness of the population of separate projects of FPER

The share of respondents, who are well informed on these or those projects of FPER, fluctuates in individual cases from 3 to 7 %. If also to take into account those respondents who heard at least something about this or that project of FPER, then the share of informed will estimate approximately quarter – one third of all interrogated.

Table 6. Publicity of projects

The greatest number of respondents heard about the project of “Electronic School” (32 %), and especially here young respondents (42 %) and those with higher education (44 %) are distinguished, so far their awareness is concerned.

Levels of knowledge of “Telemedicine” project and project of creation of the network of public Internet access outlets are approximately at the same level (26 - 27 %) - in both cases respondents with higher education (41 % of the given group in both cases) are especially distinguished by their rates of awareness. 25 % of interrogated know or heard about the project of creation of system of protection of the Internet against viruses and so-called “spam” to a greater or lesser extent. Understandably, the share of informed about this concrete and topical problem of functioning of the Internet is higher in those layers and circles of society, which face it in their daily practice of work with PC and the Internet.

The least known for respondents is the project of creation of system of information safety, allowing excluding of uncontrollable use of information protected by the state, and also personal information in the Internet. Understandably, especially in this case, urgency of such problems and their importance depend on degree of engagement of respondent in the world of computer technologies, in particular Internet-technologies, whose rates, though having positive dynamics, are still not too high.

Within the framework of poll respondents were asked about how important for them is the problem of safety of personal information and information of the state importance. On average, the share of interrogated, for whom this problem is definitely important, had made one fifth of all interrogated (this figure is a bit higher among respondents with higher education, high social status and qualification, high income); for another 29 % this problem is rather important. While each tenth of interrogated had been at a loss for giving here a certain answer, more than two fifth of interrogated (41 %) stated, that the given problem rather or definitely did not worry them.

While evaluating efficiency of realization of the projects mentioned, respondents demonstrated certain restraint that, certainly, is connected with currently insufficient level of awareness of the projects and directly received knowledge of them, experience of use of opportunities opened by the given projects.

Realization prospects of the project “Electronic School” are given the highest rate by respondents, that in many respects results from the fact, that the problem of receipt of qualitative modern education now is rather sharp and topical in society. Thus, 21 % of interrogated believe, that the given project would substantially improve quality of education, and another 45 % -  “to some extent”.

On the whole, respondents rather highly estimate social effect of realization of the project of creation of public Internet access outlets as means of solution of the problem of inequality in access to information (positive rating was given in total by 59 % of interrogated). Most skeptically respondents estimate the project “Telemedicine” – thus, 40 % of interrogated believe, that this project cannot improve quality of health services (it is the highest showing of negative rating of projects). Certainly, here very significant role is played by such factors as scales of access of the population to means, allowing to take advantage of results of work of the given project.

Estimating the role of the program “Electronic Russia” in social and economic development of the country in the nearest couple of years, only about each tenth believes, that it will play very important role, and more than one third of respondents give more constrained rating – “rather important” - 35 % of all interrogated.

The most optimistic forecast here is given by the youngest (18 % - “very important” and 39 % - “rather important”); they, and also respondents with higher education, high social and consumer status, more often than average see in foreseeable future obvious or certain advantages of realization of the program, beneficial personally for themselves (among the youngest this figure is the highest - 50 %) whereas on the average of all interrogated advantages of realization of the program, which are personally beneficial, are expected by hardly more than one fifth of all interrogated (27 %).

Table 7. Question: “Do you expect personal benefits from the program “Electronic Russia” now or in foreseeable future?” (from all interrogated)

While estimating efforts of authorities on realization of the program “Electronic Russia”, relative majority (47 %) is at a loss for giving certain answer that, certainly, is connected, with insufficient awareness of the population about FPER, course of its realization, and also absence of experience and skills of work with information technologies.

At the same time, relative majority of all interrogated believe, that authorities of the country undertake obviously insufficient efforts on creation of the so-called “Electronic society” (32 % on the average); the most critical here are interrogated with higher education (39 %) as well as the youngest respondents (41 %); above average is this figure, correspondently, among students, and also experts.

To a greater or lesser extent, positive rating to efforts of authorities is given by minority of interrogated (in total 20 %), and it is a little bit higher with elderly age groups, among less educated respondents, less endowed, living at periphery - that is in groups which more often demonstrate loyalty to the present authorities.

Rather unexpected is the fact, that in various types of settlements Muscovites (57 % of interrogated in the given group) more often were at a loss to state certain rating of activity of authorities in this direction. In our opinion, it proves consideration about smaller importance of problems of such character for inhabitants of the capital, indifferent enough attitude to initiatives proceeding "from above".

The most critical in these ratings were inhabitants of small-size cities (though they more often than average estimated these efforts quite positively) for whom, along with more obviously expressed traditional dependence on authorities, hopes of positive changes proceeding from them, state programs similar to FPER apparently have much more real value, that is connected with smaller opportunities and poorer resources of inhabitants of non-central and peripheral cities. This results in more differential attitude of the interrogated from medium and small-size cities to efforts of authorities on expansion of access to modern computer and information technologies.

Similar tendency is observed in ratings of the role of FPER in the nearest future. In general ratings of the role of program “Electronic Russia” in social and economic development of the country in the nearest years, the most indifferent were Muscovites - 38 % consider, that this role will be “very important” or “rather important”, and 41 % of interrogated Muscovites were at a loss to give certain answer. In all other types of settlements rating of this role is higher on average at 8 percents, and the share of those finding difficulty in answering is much smaller, than in Moscow.

At the same time levels of positive ratings of direct benefits from realization of the program in the foreseeable future personally for inhabitants of the capital, large and medium-size cities appear to be identical - 28 - 29 %, whereas inhabitants of small cities hope for that even more vastly (33 %), while rural inhabitants, on the contrary, are most pessimistic in their ratings (24 %). At the same time, on the one hand, in Moscow, and on the other another – in village, significant part of interrogated (27 % in both) was at a loss to give certain answer. Nevertheless, it is explained by various reasons - in the first case, as it seems, by more skeptical or indifferent attitude to the mentioned subject, in the countryside - rather in connection with greater remoteness, including, social remoteness, from the problems discussed and solved by the “center”.

Muscovites are mostly a bit better, or just as other inhabitants of various types of settlements informed on various projects realized within the framework of FPER (this is especially related to such problem, as system of measures on protection of the Internet against viruses and so-called “spam”, that is problems faced daily by Internet users). However ratings of efficiency of these programs among Muscovites are considerably more restrained and rather critical. Let us list answers of respondents, residing in different types of settlements on their attitude to the corresponding projects.

Table 8. Question: “Can the project “Electronic school” improve quality of education?”

Table 9. Question: “Can the project "Telemedicine" improve quality of health services?”

Table 10. Question: “Can public Internet access outlets solve the problem of inequality in access to information?”

Apparently from the data provided, the greatest hopes on realization of the given projects are pinned by inhabitants of non-capital cities, in particular average and small. Paradoxical rapprochement of ratings of inhabitants of Moscow and village, which is marked in a number of cases, results, certainly, from different reasons and motivations for such answers, which were discussed before.

Readiness of the population to use projects of FPER

According to results of poll, only insignificant part of respondents is well informed on various projects realized within the framework of FPER (from 4 up to 7 % of all interrogated); approximately from one fifth up to a quarter state, that they heard something about the corresponding project. Thus, significant part of respondents, which have no sufficient information and idea of discussed projects of FPER, gives determined enough and more or less grounded ratings of this or that project. So at a certain extent we deal not so much with real ratings of projects, as with judgments about their importance for respondent, about his/her interest in this or that sphere of IT development and potential readiness to use solution opportunities for these or those problems opened by new technologies.

The most indicative here are answers of respondents to the question formulated in the most general form - about readiness to use computer and the Internet in order to receive information and purchase goods and services (the latter is not too much distributed now even among users of the Internet). Certain readiness here was declared by 15 % of all interrogated, relative readiness (“rather yes” variant of answer) - by another 19%, that in total (34 %) practically corresponds to the share of people, more or less owning skills of work on PC. This readiness, above average, is expressed by young respondents, and also interrogated with higher education.

If to compare answers of various age groups regarding practice of using PC and the Internet, it is possible to tell, that age border of those having at least some experience of use of computer technologies, and accordingly, interest to their development, at which projects of FPER are aimed, falls on group of 40 years.  

For the youngest one of major factors, influencing this interest, would be, along with generally increased, as compared to others, interest to technical equipment and innovational technologies (including computer), orientation on receipt of modern education and specialties with use of new information opportunities, that in its turn opens prospects for more prestigious and highly paid workplaces.

In elderly groups, representing socially active ages, this interest and orientations will be in greater extent determined by current activity, character of business and professional activity. Thus, readiness to use PC and the Internet for accessing programs of distance learning and increase of educational level, which should be provided by realization of one of FPER projects, is at most expressed in group of the youngest (18 - 24 years) - 29 % of this group are definitely ready to take advantage of such opportunities, and another 34 % are more likely ready.

Much lower (but still above the average) is this rate in the group of respondents with higher education and among experts (amount of positive answers here had made 49 %), and also in the age group of 25 -39 years (43 %). In general, readiness of respondents to use PC for receipt of education or increase of its level, does not considerably exceed average index of readiness to take advantage of opportunities given by the project “Telemedicine” (on average, 31 and 28 % accordingly). Above average is this rate also with young respondents (37 %) and interrogated with higher education (37 %).

In other words, here the interest to new opportunities of use of technologies, already known to respondent is decisive; for elderly groups, for whom the given problem by definition should have the greater value, the offered method of receipt of medical services appears as far from them and less urgent and real, as far they are from the world of computer technologies.

In general, as it was already noted, relative awareness of respondents of FPER projects changes from approximately one fifth up to one third of interrogated. Greatest “popularity” of the project “Electronic School” (though here, as well as in case of the project “Telemedicine”, and partly, other projects, would be more exact to speak about rough notion of interrogated about their contents and opportunities, based among others on knowledge of what basic opportunities are provided by use of the Internet) could be explained in many respects by the fact, that for significant part of the population use of potential of the Internet is connected with problems of education and receipt of  information necessary during the process of education.

Let's list summary comparative data on the level of readiness to receive this or that sort of information or services by means of computer technologies.

Table 11. Question: “Are you ready to use the following possibilities of the Internet?”

Use of possibilities of public Internet access outlets attracts the greatest number of respondents as it, first of all, means expansion of possibilities of access to the Internet, unavailable for majority of the population, including those people who already have certain skills of work on PC and in the network. This opportunity almost equally attracts all age groups, except for elderly; especially significant here is presence of higher education (in this group 55 % would take advantage of such opportunity).

Above average is the share of those ready to use these opportunities among young students (for whom, as we already told, disproportion between available skills of work on PC and in the Internet and possibilities of accessing them is characteristic). At the level of average indices readiness to use public Internet access outlets is demonstrated by office workers, qualified workers, whereas in low-status groups – among pensioners, unskilled workers - it is expressed below average (26 - 28 %). In case with possibility of use of PC for receipt of information and purchase of goods and services, and also receipt or raising the level of education, obvious influence upon degree of readiness to take advantage of these opportunities is brought by age and education, professional and official status: the older is respondent – the lower is this readiness; the more educated and qualified is he/she, the higher is his/her social and vocational status – the higher is this readiness. 

The factor of residence of respondent considerably influences only general readiness to use PC and the Internet for receipt of information and purchase of goods and services: the smaller is type of settlement, the lower is this readiness, that actually reflects real character of computerization of the country in which urbanization factor is one of major. In case with the project “Telemedicine” distinction between age groups is less obvious. Though among most elderly only 14 % express readiness to take advantage of such possibilities (that is understandable, since this group, as well as respondents with education below secondary, almost completely “drop out” of the new reality connected with computer technologies), distinctions between other age groups are not that significant - 37 % of such respondents are among the youngest, 34 %- in the group of 25 – 39 years, and 32 % - in the group of 45 – 54 years.

This reflects, on the one hand, more universal value of medicine and treatment for interrogated, on the other - importance for them of the problem of health services quality improvement. Even in the group with “medium-low” income the level of readiness to take advantage of such opportunity is fixed at the average level.

Attitude towards FPER and use of PC and the Internet network

In general distribution of answers among basic social-demographic groups respondents of young ages and also interrogated with higher education were especially distinguished by level of knowledge and interest to the projects of FPER. It is understandable, since these groups in their majority own skills of work on PC and in the Internet. We shall demonstrate comparison of presence of such skills in groups according to age and educational level.

Table 12.

As the data of the present poll, as well as other inquiries, devoted to studying of scales and character of use of PC and the Internet, indicate, in comparison with other groups, possession of skills of work on PC and in the Internet among the youngest are distributed more widely than scales of access to these computer means. Thus, if difference between share of those able to work on PC and share of those having access to it in the group of 18 – 24 years makes 26 %, in the next age group of 25 – 39 years it makes only 11 %, and in the group with higher education - 9 %. In other words, increased interest of youth to the problem of use and availability of IT within the framework of FPER projects, touched by the poll, results, among others, from disproportion between current demand for PCs and the Internet and available opportunities of their use.

Of course, respondents owning skills of work on PC, not to mention the Internet, show in their answers the greatest awareness of touched questions and interest to them. We shall provide only several most indicative data from the subgroup of respondents, able to use the Internet. Thus more than one third of this group to some extent knows about FPER, and almost each tenth is well informed about it (on average 4 %).

Almost three times bigger than average in group is the share of Internet users knowing about the project “Electronic School” - 18 % know about it and 39 % “heard something” about it (on average 7 and 25 %); also Internet users are well informed about the project of creation of public Internet access outlets (19 % know about that well, and another 35 % - at least approximately). A little bit less often, but again almost three times more often than average among users of the Internet could be met respondents knowing well about the project “Telemedicine” (11 % at the average of 4 %).

More definitely, than other groups, Internet users express their thoughts about possible “social effect” of the given projects. Thus, 30 % of this group believe, that the project “Electronic School” can improve quality of education (on average 21 %); 29 % consider that public Internet access outlets will help to solve the problem of inequality in access to information (on average 18 % think so). About one fifth of Internet users (21 %) think, that realization of the project “Telemedicine” will allow to improve quality of health services.

Users of the Internet estimate role of the program “Electronic Russia” already in the nearest future considerably above average - 59 % of this group believe, that it will be “very much” or “rather important” (on average 46 %); thus respondents using the Internet particularly highly estimate personal benefits from realization of the given program, in comparison with all interrogated  - 19 % consider, that it will bring obvious benefits (on average 7 %), and another 34 % give more constrained positive rating (“will rather bring”, on average – 21 %).

Level of readiness to take advantage of opportunities of new projects among Internet users considerably exceeds rates of readiness to use new opportunities provided by realization of FPER projects, even among social-demographic groups most advanced in the field of computer use and information technologies (youth, students, respondents with higher education, high-status and highly remunerative groups and so forth).

Thus, 73 % of respondents from the given group (on average 31 %) are more or less ready to take advantage of programs of distance learning; 48 % of the given group (on average 28 % of such respondents) expresses more or less certain readiness to receive medical advice through the Internet. It goes without saying, that the majority of this group (50 %) is sure that the Internet within the next 5 – 6 years will occupy leading position among other sources of information (on average 25 % of interrogated think so).  

Significant difference of the level of indices in the given group from average values and from indices of other advanced groups, results not only from the fact, that we deal with that part of the population which is already included in the world of new technologies and is open to innovations in it. The group of Internet users, in comparison with average indices on sample, proportionally higher represents groups of young, studying, educated inhabitants of large cities which by virtue of their social, status, and cultural characteristics are to the greatest degree open to modernity, innovational processes, including those in sphere of information and computer technologies.

In conclusion we would like to note, that already today the quarter of interrogated believe, that within the next 5 - 6 years the Internet will play leading role in comparison with other sources information. Almost half (45 %) gives here more weighed, but again positive rating – “rather significant”. Understandably, in groups already engaged in the world of computers and the Internet, these ratings are even higher. Among the youngest respondents, and also interrogated with higher education the share of positive answers to this question estimates maximal values - from 80 up to 86 %. This rate is much below average (47 – 49 %) only among respondents, older than 55 years, and also among interrogated with education. At the same time in these groups almost the same share had been at a loss to answer the given question (44 and 42 % correspondently) that indicates insignificant engagement of these layers of the population into the raised questions on prospects and development of “electronic society”.

Thus, potential of use of new opportunities opened by computer and information technologies in the modern Russian society is, basically, rather significant at least by virtue of positive and open attitude of the considerable part of population towards new technologies, including computer and information. However, for the majority of people, almost ready to take advantage of these advanced achievements, such opportunities are currently unavailable, and ratings of role of the state in the process of solution of this problem remain rather critical and constrained.

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