The Information Society Commission estimates that there is 93 percent awareness of the Internet in Ireland while the Irish Government prepares its ecommerce strategy while 54 percent of Irish users say they plan to make an online purchase in the next six months, according to the Irish Internet Association. French ecommerce is predicted to generate USD50 million by the end of 1998,according to the Benchmark Group while 429,000 Belgians access the Internet on a weekly basis, according to Grid Consultancy. The Asian ISP market dissects, one serving the consumer market and the other corporate business market, according to the Far Eastern Economic Review. Japan and China form an Internet think tank, agreeing to pool Internet research resources. Also in Japan, Dentsu Inc. predict that Internet advertising will generate USD74.8 million by the end of 1998.
China tries a man for using the Internet and email as a vehicle for subversive political activity.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that 18 percent of Australian households have Internet access. Over USD6.3 million is currently spent on online advertising campaigns in Australia, according to a report by APT Strategies. IDC expects ecommerce in New Zealand to total USD9.9 million in 1998. Vietnam announces that it is to cut its prohibitive access rates by 30 percent. India deregulates the ISP market, and an additional one million subscribers are expected online by 2000.