Thus, the internet is the main source of information today, but, as is the case when it comes to entertainment, there is a very clear dividing line between the young and the old with the middle age in between. For those up to 45 years old, the internet has the dominant position as a source of information while the internet plays only a modest role for pensioners. Here, traditional media, TV, radio and newspapers are the most important. In between, in the ages of 46 to 65, all media, including the internet, is equally as important. All ages, except for those over 66 years old, assessed personal contacts to be the most important.

Among both school children and pensioners, the internet is the most utilized in searching for facts (90%) and for looking up words (85%). Everyone does this at least once in a while, even among pensioners. Many, also in the older ages, use the internet to look up addresses and timetables. Using the internet to get information about a hobby or a special interest, to take part in culture, science and literature, to look up information about traveling, about health information and public information is something that is done by internet users of all ages. However, the elderly mostly utilize the internet to look for information and facts.

In some cases, such as using the internet to take part in political information, visit online communities and forums in connection with special interests and to use the internet to compare prices it is mostly those in the ages of 16 to 35, respective 16 to 45 (comparing prices) who are active.

Looking at all internet users it is not so many that use the internet to look for work, participate in distance studies or seek information about school work, but we see that 94 percent of unemployed have used the internet at least once to search for a job, 86 percent at some time once a week and 49 percent daily.

Among students, 98 percent use the internet for schoolwork, 79 percent once a week and 35 percent daily. The internet thus plays a large role and this applies especially for adult students. Half (59%) of older students (26-35) use the internet daily to retrieve information about school work, 43 percent in the ages of 16-25 and 23 percent of school children between the ages of 12 to 15. (See more about the internet and school in the chapter about children and youth.) Using the internet for distance education is not as common in Sweden as in other countries such as New Zealand and Australia. But among students, 18 percent in the ages of 16-25 and 31 percent in the ages of 26-35 have at least once taken part in distance education via the internet.

As stated earlier, the difference between how the young and old use the internet to look up information is not as large as when it comes to entertainment and participating in social networks. Age does not have a large effect. There are differences but many elderly are active at seeing information and facts on the internet. But does education play a role? Is it mainly the already well educated who are utilizing the internet?

Does education make a difference in how often one uses the internet to look up words? Yes, to some extent, but the differences between educated groups are small and mostly in the middle ages (46-65).

When it comes to searching for information and checking facts, there is a difference between educated groups among the younger and among the middle-aged and the older. Here, the highly educated most often use the internet for information and fact-finding.

Two out of three (69%) use the internet for culture, science and literature. There is a difference among the young based on education but it increases for those over 45 years old. Among the middle-aged and the elderly, it is three times more likely that those with a higher education, compared to those who have not graduated, use the internet for culture, science and literature.

Reading the news on the internet is popular in all ages and in the ages of 45-65, they read the same regardless of education. In contrast, education plays a role for newspaper reading among the oldest over 65 and among the youngest (20-45). Significantly more of the young with a university degree read the paper on the internet compared to those with less education.

There are large differences between age groups and education levels in how one takes part in information about health and medical questions on the internet. Most of the young and highly educated (82%) take part in this information sometimes, but among older and lower educated, it is more rare. Women are also more interested in the information than men. The most interested in health information are young, well-educated women (94%).