Online search and e-mail are the two most popular online activities in Europe, which 84 percent and 79 percent of respondents in 2007, respectively, performed at least once a month, according to EIAA.

The figures rose to 87 percent and 81 percent in 2008. More than 40 percent of respondents used online social networking at least once a month, while more than three out of 10 used instant messaging, listened to Web radio, downloaded music or watched movies/videos in 2008, SFN's World Digital Media Trends 2009 reported.

According to BIGresearch SIMM 13 Study, shopping and weather were the top two online activities for fun and entertainment among U.S. online users, with 38 percent and 35 percent of respondents saying they regularly did so, respectively.

Checking movie reviews/schedules, viewing photos from friends, checking sport news and scores and playing video games were also popular; more than two out of 10 regularly did one of those activities, according to the report, World Digital Media Trends 2009, released by SFN and the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers.