A substantial challenge facing the utilization of new digital technologies involves the development of effective skills among users. While the Abu Dhabi metro has near universal Internet penetration, its effective use has not been assessed. This study measures the Internet skills of users in Abu Dhabi, including cultural correlates of skill development, and the extent to which Internet users derive real-life (RL) advantages (e.g., financial, health, social, or educational benefits). There are three reasons such study is needed: (1) measurement of digital skills is a new area of inquiry in social science, and has been studied in a narrow set of countries (USA, Netherlands, UK, Chile, Argentina, and Turkey); (2) studies have never been conducted in the GCC, or the UAE; and, (3) only one other study of a Muslim nation (Turkey), making the cultural context unique. With a multicultural population, the Abu Dhabi metro area is ideal for exploring cultural contexts in a non-Western setting and the GCC/MENA regions. Aims of the study include three aspects: (1) to measure digital skill levels of Abu Dhabi residents; (2) to determine cultural determinants of Internet use/skill; and, (3) to determine the relationship between skills and RL outcomes.
