Though household subscriptions make estimating the number of women on-line difficult, the percentage of women who are using the Internet and on-line services is remarkably low. (Hafner 50-51) Though the Internet itself reaches over thirty million people world wide and is usually free through universities, research organizations, and corporations, less than 10% of its users are women. (Hafner 51) Commercial on-line services are increasing in popularity, attracting subscribers through both home and the workplace, and they are far easier to use than direct links to the Internet itself. These services, however, are still typically male oriented and dominated. Prodigy, which boasts the largest number of subscribers, is estimated to only be 35% female. CompuServe, as second largest, estimates to only have between 10% and 17%. (Broadhurst 80) Both services have well over two million subscribers and cater to homes and businesses respectively, yet are remarkably monopolized by the male gender. America OnLine, though it is the fastest growing service and earning a reputation for being remarkably easy to use, is also only 15% to 30% female. (Broadhurst 80). The soon to be released Microsoft Network will include forums on women's issues, though its percentage of women subscribers has yet to be seen. Even the hip and gender-friendly services ECHO (East Coast Hang Out) and WELL (Whole Earth `Lectronic Link,) which host discussion groups exclusively for women, are only 40% and 20% female. Only the new service Women's Wire, with a mere 1500 subscribers, is predominantly female at 90%. (Hafner 50-51) .
Though many have hoped that the Internet and on-line services would create egalitarian forums for the exchange of information and ideas, cyberspace has shown itself to be just as susceptible to social ills as the outside world. The Internet is not in a vacuum from the world of its subscribers but is a world created by these subscribers who do not lose their attitudes towards race, sexuality, politics, or gender when they log on.
