• by August 13, 2002

Nielsen//NetRatings reports that one out of every five kids and teens who have online access, or nearly 20% of the overall active Internet population, logged online from home in July 2002. Twenty million surfers ages 2-17 accessed the Web last month, spending more than nine hours online and initiating an average of 16 sessions.

Popular among this segment of the population, instant messaging applications drew 11.5 million kids and teens to the Web, as young surfers comprised nearly a quarter of the total at-home instant messaging population.

"Young surfers are generally more technologically savvy as compared to other age groups, and have adopted the use of the Internet as part of their daily activities at home as well as in school," said T.S. Kelly, director and principal analyst, Nielsen//NetRatings. "Their keen aptitude for technology is one reason why applications such as instant messaging have increased in popularity, serving as an alternative to email."

Top Online Destinations for Kids and Teens The top online destinations for children and teenage Web surfers underscore their interest in instant messaging and online chat. Nine out of the top 15 sites most heavily trafficked sites by teens featured instant messaging tools and services such as downloadable IM icons and profiles.

"While the lack of a credit card may hinder immediate participation in ecommerce by kids and teens, their sheer size represents a unique opportunity for marketers to relay their branding messages and develop loyalty among future online buyers," added Kelly.

Top Sites Visited by Kids and Teens (U.S., Home)

+--------------------------------+-----------------+-----------------+ 
| Brand                          |
Unique Audience | Unique Audience | 
|                                | Composition (%) |           (000) | 
+--------------------------------+-----------------+-----------------+ 
| 1.
ColorYourProfyle.com*       |           86.34 |             243 | 
| 2. ActiveBuddy.com*            |            85.3 |             196 | 
| 3. IMTools.com*                |           82.89 |
304 | 
| 4. gURL.com                    |           82.86 |             505 | 
| 5. FireHotQuotes.com*          |           79.37 |             247 | 
| 6. YM.com                      |
79.22 |             157 | 
| 7. IMaddict.com*               |           78.47 |             317 | 
| 8. Eminem-planet.com           |           77.64 |             146 | 
| 9.
Mary-kateandashley.com      |           77.11 |             262 | 
| 10. BuddyProfile.com*          |           75.84 |             221 | 
| 11. SubProfile.com*            |           75.59 |
823 | 
| 12. Katrillion.com             |           73.65 |             399 | 
| 13. IMchaos.com*               |           72.41 |             535 | 
| 14. BadassBuddy.com*           |
70.98 |             444 | 
| 15. CosmoGirl.com              |            70.6 |             144 | 
+--------------------------------+-----------------+-----------------+ 

* instant messaging-related Brand
Source: Nielsen//NetRatings, July 2002