TransCity

Online communication can be very effective in targeting ethnic minorities in Europe and the U.S. Many Europeans with African, Asian or South American backgrounds are online every day, with a number of communities spending more time on the internet than the average in their country of residence. A research by MTV Networks in the U.S. has shown that in the 12- to 24- year-old age group Latinos spend the most time online (2.7 hours a day), followed by African Americans (2.6 hours) and whites (1.9 hours).

According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, thirteen percent of white internet users download music online frequently, compared with 25 percent of African Americans and 20 percent of the Latino population. For many communities in Europe and elsewhere, internet has become one of the major tools to keep them connected with friends and family around the world.

Both in the U.S. and Europe, many ethnic minorities are slightly more likely to use internet away from home than is the average in their respective countries. On the other hand, many ethnic minorities are online to become part of global communities, rather local communities. In the Netherlands for example, many youngsters from African, Asian or South American communities are more likely to add their profile on My Space than on Hyves, the local equivalent of My Space in the Netherlands.