'Most Kenyans' in internet job hunt

Research conducted by US-based Pew Research Centre of Washington, DC, reveals that Kenya is one of the top spots where users spend more time on social media and job hunting.

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Kenya scored 53 per cent, coming third, at online job searching, the highest in Africa. Kenya trails Bangladesh with 62 per cent and India with 55 per cent.

About 22 per cent of the people surveyed said they have never conducted financial transactions over the internet. While half of Kenyans internet users use it for job hunting, 88 per cent of them use it for social networking, connecting with friends and relatives.

Kenya ranks the highest Africa in social networking with Senegal and Tunisia both tying at 87 per cent. It is second in the world to Philippines with 93 per cent.

Twenty-nine per cent of young and highly educated Kenyans who speak English are likely to use the internet while the rest do not want to consider the services.

The research says young people between the ages of 18 and 35 communicate through text messages more regularly globally, with the Kenyan youth ranking at position three in Africa with 88 per cent.

This is behind South Africa and Tanzania with 95 and 92 per cent. Smartphones have became the most used gadgets by people to access the internet in Kenya and most emerging and developing countries.

The study says the internet has a 64 per cent positive impact on education, 53 per cent on personal relationships and 52 per cent on the economy of a country.

Its impact on morality was unfavorable to man of those interviewed.

The research was conducted on 32 emerging and developing nations across the globe between March and June 2014.