Internet Use Spikes Across Borders

StarMedia Network Inc., a New York-based

Internet media company targeted at Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking audiences

worldwide, recently released the results of its second annual user study.

The company polled more than 22,500 consumers who took the two-part survey

in Spanish, Portuguese or English.

Among the survey's results:

89 percent said the Internet is breaking down barriers among countries.

88 percent said the Internet is uniting people around the world who

speak their language.

42 percent reported having shopped online in the past 12 months, up

from 29 percent in 1998.

Among individual countries, Brazilians reported spending an average

of 12.3 hours online per week, U.S. Hispanics, 11.7 hours; Puerto Ricans,

11 hours; Chileans, 10. 7 hours; Venezuelans, 10.2 hours; Argentinians,

9.8 hours; and Colombians, 8.9 hours.