Looking at the leading search engines, Google is the most used search engine in Italy, followed by Bing and Yahoo!. In terms of the usefulness of search engines, 66 percent of users reported that search engines are very important when purchasing online, especially regarding deals and finding the best prices.
From a device perspective, Italians prefer to use smartphones rather than PCs, as smartphones are always at hand, quick to use and practical. These features ease internet access compared to PCs and laptops. According to a survey, 87 percent of Italians access the internet via smartphone at least once a day. Additionally, Italians use the internet for activities such as studying, working or reading online news and reviews.
Regarding the main advantages of the internet, Italians reported that the ease of collecting and comparing information, communicating with people easily and the possibility of purchasing online are the most important features. Despite their enthusiasm internet users are aware of the main risks of the internet. Threats such as cyber-attacks, identity theft and purchase of counterfeit goods are the main risks that Italian internet users fear. Nevertheless, Italians remain positive and believe that innovation could be used to increase safety while surfing on the internet.
