Internet tops TV as most popular pastime

Surfing the Internet is now more popular than watching television, according to new figures.

It is believed to be the first time that using the Internet has overtaken what was traditionally seen as the nation's favourite pastime.

And experts claim that future computer-literate generations will see an increase in the amount of time spent online. Analysts from TNS surveyed more than 1,000 adults aged 16 to 64 for the Internet search engine Google. They found that, on average, we spend 164 minutes online every day compared to 148 minutes watching television. One reason for the increase is thought to be that many people can access the Internet at work.