CYBERSPACE – A new report may indicate that the American internet market is falling behind most international markets.According to a study released Friday by Nielsen/NetRatings, Americans are spending slightly less time online today than they did last year. The study shows that average usage time per month for American internet users is now at 13 hours and 44 minutes, a 2 percent decline over the previous year’s usage levels. America also ranked second-to-last in the average frequency of internet sessions registering in at 25 sessions per user.

The study showed a different trend for most European and Asian countries, with Europe accounting for 70 percent of all internet usage. According to Nielsen/NetRatings, emerging European markets such as Australia, France and Italy could represent the best business opportunity for online internet-based companies. European countries with minimal growth comparable to the United States included Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, Switzerland and Sweden.

In the Asian markets, Hong Kong topped the monthly average usage list with the average Hong Kong surfer spending approximately 22 hours per month online. That meant year-over-year growth of 25 percent for the former British colony. Hong Kong also led the way in average number of online sessions at 30 per month, an increase of 26 percent over the previous year.

Japan also showed promising growth over the last twelve months.