The internet is continuing to boom, despite the current global recession, according to research from analyst firm IDC.Despite doom mongers predicting the death of the net in the light of recession and slowdown in the tech industry, by the end of this year 600 million people will be online, says the report.

However the idea that the global village created by the internet will be homogenous is mistaken, says vice president of IDC’s global research organisation Carol Glasheen.

“In effect, instead of the internet normalising worldwide variations, it has become a reflection of the many geographies, cultures, economics and political conditions that exist in the offline world,” she said.