The Internet Statistics That Matter in 2024 and Beyond

Nikolina Cveticanin

Updated: February 6, 2024

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Over the past few decades, nothing has significantly influenced our lives more than the internet. But how much do we know about the vast network that now runs the world? To find out, the team at DataProt scoured the World Wide Web for facts and stats about… the World Wide Web. 

Check out our internet statistics to discover the sheer size of this virtual realm beyond the confines of physical space and get a sense of where the information superhighway is leading us.

Key Internet Statistics for 2024

• There were an estimated 4.9 billion social media users as of March 2023.
• More than 30,000 websites are hacked daily.
• Mobile e-Commerce is forecast to account for about 43.4% of e-Commerce sales by 2023.
• Facebook users surpassed 2.96 billion monthly active users as of 2023.
• More than 7.5 million blog posts are published on the internet every day.
• There are more than 1.13 billion websites on the internet.
• Internet users account for 64.4% of the global population as of 2023.
• Worldwide, more than 5.16 billion active internet users exist.

General Internet Facts and Statistics

The internet has been expanding since the moment it went commercial, as statistics about internet use show. Internet facts like these give us some perspective on the otherwise-unimaginable scale of how large the internet has become.

1. As of 2023, there were 5.16 billion unique internet users worldwide.

(Statista)

There’s one question most of us have asked ourselves at one point: How many internet users are there in the world? The figure above represents 64.4% of the world’s total population. Even now, the number of internet users is expanding significantly. In mid-2018, around 3.9 billion internet users worldwide increased to about 5.16 billion as of 2023.

2. China leads the way online, with its citizens accounting for over 20% of internet users worldwide.

(Data Reportal) 

Statistics on Internet use show that, as of the start of 2023, 1.05 billion people in China use the Internet, with a penetration rate of 73.7%.  Coming second is India, and then the U.S.

3. 118.6% of internet users in China use mobile devices to go online as of 2023.

(Data Reportal)

Merging internet usage with a growing domestic mobile phone industry, China recorded impressive results as of 2023, registering up to 1.69  billion mobile internet users. The figure also illustrates how efficient Chinese network coverage is and how accessible mobile devices have become in the past decade.

4. India is the runner-up, with over 692 million internet users.

(Data Reportal)

Although 1.05 billion internet users are behind China, India is making giant leaps forward, with over half a billion people online in 2023. The reason behind this unprecedented growth is a state-sponsored campaign to make internet connections more accessible in rural areas of the Indian subcontinent.

5. North America makes up only 6.5% of all worldwide internet users.

(Internet World Stats)

While the continent falls well within the category of the developed world, North America represents a reasonably small segment of the global internet share, with 372.5 million internet users as of 2023. Nevertheless, the birthplace of the internet still leads the way in implementing 5G infrastructure. 

As such, United States internet access statistics suggest that the next generation of cellular network technology will significantly increase internet use.

6. Asia has passed the rest of the world in internet usage, with 2.9 billion internet users coming from this continent.

(Internet World Stats)

As China and other Asian countries modernized, the most populous continent quickly became the most crowded corner of the internet with 54.2% world internet usage, surpassing Europe, which holds second place with just 13.9%. However, Europe may only have second place briefly because Africa is booming with 11.2% internet usage. 

7. There are over 2.64 billion online shoppers worldwide as of 2023.

(Oberlo) 

Statistics on internet usage show a clear preference for online shopping among consumers around the globe. The trend is expected to continue growing. There are 2.64 billion online shoppers worldwide as of 2023, 80 million online buyers than there were in 2022.

8. Over 8.5 billion Google searches are made every day.

(Oberlo)

Although this figure varies, Google remains the most extensively used search engine on the internet. Internet search statistics suggest that Google processes over 63% of organic search queries via mobile phones. 

Google lenses are used 8.6 billion times monthly. We can only expect these figures to grow with the increasing number of Google users worldwide.

9. Internet traffic statistics show that bots generate 42% of all traffic as of 2023.

(Arkose Labs)

While this sounds like bad news, the truth is that the increase in bot presence is primarily due to “good” bots that combat malware and regulate the internet ecosystem. 

Examples of such software are “spiders” used by Google for mapping the internet to expand search results and “feed fetchers,” which Facebook search uses to refresh your newsfeed, while you browse the social network on your smartphone.

10. More than 7 million blog posts are published on the internet every day.

(First Site Guide)

The amount of information on the web is seemingly infinite, primarily due to people’s widespread use of blogs. With over 600 million blogs in the world today, the internet’s capacity to process more and more content grows stronger by the minute. While individual bloggers started this trend, it has been adopted by many larger websites that wish to stay competitive regarding SERPs.

11. People spend an average of 6 hours and 37 minutes online daily.

(Data Reportal)

We can confirm that this is, indeed, a lot. For example, internet user statistics in the Philippines indicate that people spend more than 10 hours online daily. 

This is mainly because the archipelago nation is home to countless outsourcing companies, and their online presence is primarily work-related. Due to extensive internet usage at work, statistics indicate that Southeast Asians are the most engaged internet users in the world.

12. Google, YouTube, Facebook, and Baidu dominate internet use statistics all over the globe.

(Internet Live Stats) 

What’s the daily rate of Google Internet searches? Nearly 8.5 billion. Moreover, over 5 billion videos are watched daily on YouTube, while Facebook has over 2.96 billion active users. Google’s Chinese counterpart, Baidu, has 4.2 billion monthly active mobile search users. Internet traffic breakdown shows that the significant traditional players still hold onto the largest percentage of the internet.  

13. Domain name registrations grew by 0.5% in the fourth quarter of 2022.

(Business Wire)

There was an increase of around 0.7 million domain name registration compared to the third quarter of 2022. Year over year, domain name registrations have grown by approximately 4.5%.

14. The internet generates over 2 million tons of Co2 emissions daily.

(Internet Live Stats) 

While most people perceive the internet in abstract terms － a virtual world parallel to our own － its carbon footprint is, in fact, quite real. According to global internet usage statistics, the web generates 2% of the planet’s total Co2 emissions. Forecasts suggest that, within four years, digital pollution will be responsible for up to 3-4% of carbon dioxide emissions.

15. With a 64.2% share of the market, WordPress is the most popular CMS platform.

(Search Engine Journal)

WordPress is the primary CMS on the web, with over 835 million active websites. Heavy-rollers like The New York Times, Forbes, and Facebook’s official blog are among the company’s most valuable clients. Sites statistics show that Wix is second, while Squarespace holds the third position.

Mobile Internet Usage Statistics

With Android and macOS technology now available on mobile phones, billions of people have turned away from their PC and opted for the convenience of pocket-sized devices for surfing the internet. As mobile phones become cheaper and more accessible, they drive the global internet penetration rate. 

Let’s review some of the most critical statistics on internet use by mobile devices.

16. More than half of internet traffic now occurs on mobile phones.

(Exploding Topics)

Mobile vs. desktop internet usage statistics suggest mobile phones are overtaking their traditional counterparts, with 92.3% of global internet traffic going through mobile devices and 65.6% of internet traffic running on laptops and desktops.

17. Mobile e-Commerce will account for about 6% of e-Commerce sales in 2023.

(Forbes)

While e-Commerce is gaining popularity, mobile phones are pushing the envelope of online retail. Mobile commerce sales, or m-commerce sales, will reach the $415.93 billion mark, accounting for 6% of retail sales, in 2023.

18. Mobile devices account for over 50%% of China’s e-Commerce sales.

(Asia Assist & Statista)

Let’s not forget that, in China, almost all internet traffic is conducted via mobile phones. After all, this is the home of AliExpress, the second-largest online retailer in the world. Chinese citizens are accustomed to using mobile phones for shopping. 

According to Statista, China’s mobile shopping service users will grow to about 1.14 billion by 2023.

19. Mobile internet traffic accounted for 60.89% of internet traffic as of the first quarter of 2023.

(Exploding Topics)

Mobile phones have become a force to be reckoned with, gaining over half the total internet traffic share worldwide. Considering this figure rose from 59.66% just a year earlier, showing a 1.23% increase, it’s evident that the future of the internet is mobile.

20. 42.7% of people were using ad-blocking software to block advertisements in 2022.

(Earthweb) 

We all agree that ads can be annoying. Advertising still represents a source of income for many websites, but consumers couldn’t care less; many mobile internet users prefer to block ads while browsing the web on their phones. This figure has reached about 42.7% of all internet users.

21. Mobile ad spending in the U.S. will reach $297.4 billion by the end of 2023.

(Oberlo) 

Companies are spending huge amounts of money on ads. It is estimated that about $297.4 billion will be spent on ads in the U.S. in 2023. This is a 13.9% increase from 2022, during which expenditure totaled $261.1 billion. 

While internet usage statistics show that more and more people are turning to ad blockers, advertisers are still finding ways to make a killing.

22. Google drives 63% of mobile search traffic.

(Oberlo)

You already knew Google was winning the search engine race by a country mile, but you might not have realized how dominant this platform is. Internet browser statistics show that mobile users spend a significant fraction of their time on Google searches, proving once again that Google has become synonymous with online queries.

Social Media Statistics

Over the past decade, social media has become synonymous with an online presence. After all, if it isn’t on Instagram, it didn’t happen, right? Social media user statistics that we gathered all indicate one thing － that social networks like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter now number billions of users, most of whom couldn’t imagine life without them.

23. There were an estimated 4.9 billion social media users as of March 2023.

(Demand Sage)

As of March 2023, over 59.4% of the world’s population spends time on various social networks. In 2021, an estimated 3.1 billion people were using social media worldwide, but this figure has increased to 4.9 billion as of 2023, showing a very high penetration rate of 59.4% of the world’s population.

24. Facebook users surpassed 2.96 billion monthly active users as of 2023. 

(Data Reportal)

Ever wondered how many Facebook users are out there? In 2012, Facebook reached the one-billion-user milestone, making history as the first-ever social media company to achieve such results. The world’s largest global social network announced that its numbers had swelled to some 2.963 billion monthly active users in January 2023.

25. The annual advertising revenue of Facebook (Meta) reached $113 billion in 2022.

(Statista) 

Facebook, or Meta, relies mainly on advertising for all their business models. Their apps, such as Instagram and WhatsApp, offer businesses a platform for advertising and marketing. Revenue per user on Facebook also increased from $6.81 in 2013 to $32.03 in 2020. 

Facebook’s most promising advertising platform is mobile-oriented, accounting for 92% of the total advertising revenue.

26. As of 2023, Instagram has 1.44 billion monthly active users.

(The Small Business Blog

Under the patronage of Facebook, Instagram ranks as the second-most popular social media platform in the world. Since 2012, when Facebook purchased Instagram, the photo/video-sharing social network has reached new heights in popularity. 

However, social media statistics indicate that this growth is set to hit a stagnation phase, with a projected annual growth rate of 3.4% by 2023.

27. According to Internet marketing statistics, visual content is 40 times more shareable on social media than any other type.

(Gitnux)

Visual content triumphs on the internet. According to global internet usage statistics, content with some visual elements gets 94% more total views. Ensure your content isn’t just plain text; the average person reads only 20% of what is written on any webpage.

28. 41.5% of marketers prefer infographics to get engagement and viewers.

(Venngage)

We’ve already concluded that social media users love visual content. Infographics represent the perfect balance, allowing you to pack useful information into visual content. They’re easy to read, share, and attract likes more often than other types of content that flood social media.

29. In the United States, 74% of online shoppers review at least one social media site before purchasing.

(Enterprise Apps Today)

Social media and online shopping go hand in hand in today’s world. Many online consumers use social media apps to find the best reviews or products. 

77% of them buy from brands they follow on social media, 64% said that they are influenced to purchase products from brands on social media apps, 54% use social media to shop online, and 40% stated they bought a product advertised on YouTube.

Internet Safety Facts and Statistics

Today’s internet is a virtual space with potential dangers. One second on the web may leave you exposed to cyberattacks and malware. Indeed, internet fraud statistics are registering an increase in criminal activity targeting millions of people daily.

30. Three sectors accounted for almost 59% of cyberattacks in 2022.

(Statista)

These are manufacturing (25%), finance and insurance (19%), and professional, business, and consumer services (14.6%). According to statistics about internet usage, hackers and malware target these industries because they hold large amounts of personally identifiable information in their records. 

Moreover, government institutions remain traditional targets for cyberattacks, as breaching them is a mark of prestige in the hacking community.

31. By 2023, there will be roughly 15.14 billion connected devices.

(Exploding Topics)

Internet security statistics around the globe show that the risk is real with IoT, and it’s growing. Internet of Things statistics predict that, by 2023, there will be 3.5 billion cellular IoT connections if the technology continues to grow at an annual anticipated rate of 30%. 

According to figures compiled, an estimated 17.03 billion connected devices will be connected by 2024. If we look at internet crime statistics, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out how this increases the risks of cyberattacks on personal devices.

32. More than 30,000 websites are hacked every day.

(Zippia)

Confirming the previous entry regarding internet safety statistics, this terrifying fact should serve as a warning to us all. Life online comes with great responsibility. So, check your password strength twice and consider the consequences of a potential cyberattack.

33. According to global internet traffic statistics, WordPress is the most hacked CMS, accounting for 95.6% of hacked websites.

(Color Lib)

WordPress is the most widespread CMS on the web, so it is no surprise that it’s also targeted most often. Most of this is caused by malware that attaches itself during traffic. Backdoors leading to SEO spam were the most common hack. Coming second and third are Joomla (2.03%) and  Drupal (0.83%).

34. Over 15 million registered records were lost or stolen in 2022 due to daily system breaches all over the globe.

(Statista)

The Breach Level Index is a global database that tracks data breaches, facts about Internet security, and breach severity. Statista reported that over 15 million data records had been stolen worldwide in the third quarter of 2022.

If you weren’t aware of the internet dangers’ seriousness, statistics confirm that cybersecurity is no laughing matter.

35. It’s expected that by 2023, cybercrime will cost $8 trillion globally.

(Forbes)

While billions have already been spent worldwide to keep personal and other data safe from harm, the numbers keep multiplying. Cybersecurity is becoming an absolute financial nightmare, especially when you realize how limited anti-malware budgets can be.

36. About 95% of total piracy in 2022 occurred on unlicensed streaming platforms.

(Variety)

According to internet piracy statistics compiled in the U.S., today’s figures are even more alarming. Television and movie content in the U.S. is massively affected by online piracy, with 95% of television content and 57% of movie content now available on free streaming platforms.

37. Men are more likely to take on catfishing, with around 38% pretending to be someone they’re not online, versus 23% of women in 2022.

(Garbo)

For those who don’t know, catfishing is a type of internet fraud in which a person creates a fake online presence for abuse, deception, or financial fraud. People most often fall prey to catfishing via dating apps and social media. 

e-Commerce Statistics of Internet Usage

The times are @-changing. Physical retail venues are losing shoppers by the minute as more and more people turn to online options daily. With global e-Commerce revenue registering incredible growth rates, it’s more than evident that, shortly, e-shopping will become paramount. 

38. As of 2023, Amazon’s e-Commerce market has 37.8% of the total market share. 

(Forbes) 

Amazon has become synonymous with online retail in the United States, holding almost half of the e-Commerce market. Indeed, Amazon’s share is now 37.8% of the total e-commerce market share, making the company a significant player in one of the largest industries in the world. U.S. internet usage statistics show that the e-Commerce market in the country is set to surpass $740 billion by 2023.

39. Internet privacy statistics suggest that over 80% of online shoppers identify data privacy as their top concern globally.

(Charged Retail)

Online shoppers in Europe prefer payment methods that vouch for increased security, like PayPal, AliPay, and WeChat Pay. Internet usage statistics by age show that as many as 95% of online shoppers who are 65 or older are highly concerned about falling prey to various forms of cybercrime.

40. Women are more impulsive about online purchases than men.

(Statista)

Women have a reputation for being impulsive shoppers. At the same time, nearly 40% of men admitted that they are prone to impulse purchases, and almost 6 in 10 women surveyed in select countries worldwide recognized impulse buying clothes or shoes online.

41. In 2021, more than 2.14 billion people worldwide are expected to purchase goods or services online.

(Statista)

Compared to 2016, when 1.66 billion global digital buyers registered every year, the forecast shows how online shopping has spread with the emergence of new internet technologies. Statistics about internet users undoubtedly confirm that people are turning to online shopping as physical stores are slowly losing their grip on customers.

42. By 2023, the e-Commerce market will be worth $6.3 trillion.

(Forbes)

Internet growth statistics all agree that e-Commerce is rapidly becoming a significant player in global retail. Moreover, digital-impacted retail sales are projected to skyrocket even further. Purchases made online, and in-store by consumers who use a digital channel to research or browse are forecast to add up to 6.3 trillion by 2023.

Conclusion

These internet statistics show that the world is becoming increasingly connected, like a global village. The potential for growth and innovation is immense, with more people assessing the internet. 

As the internet continues to evolve, staying informed about the latest trends and developments is essential to maximize available opportunities. By understanding the current Internet usage statistics, businesses and individuals can make informed decisions about utilizing the Internet for their best benefit.