The All-Connecting Thread: Internet Usage Statistics

Dusan Vasic

Updated: February 6, 2024

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Cyberspace. Information superhighway. The web. No matter what you call it, it’s possibly the most significant technological innovation since the invention of the wheel.

Internet usage statistics demonstrate that the web is interwoven with almost every aspect of our lives: connecting us, providing unlimited access to information, and lighting the sparks of innovation and progress.

Here’s a snapshot of where the global web stands today.

Internet Usage Statistics – Key Findings

• Worldwide, more than 5.16 billion active internet users exist.
• The average user spends 6 hours and 37 minutes online each day.
• Bots are responsible for 42% of all internet traffic.
• There are more than 1.13 billion websites on the internet.
• Internet users account for 64.4% of the global population as of 2023.
• Asians, with about 2.9 billion users, are the highest users of the internet as of March 2023.
• Over 350.5 million domain names were registered online in 2022. 
• About 347.3 billion legitimate emails are being sent and received daily online.

General Internet Usage Statistics for 2024

Statistics on internet usage indicate that the internet has grown since it became commercially available. These statistics help us understand the internet’s gigantic scope, which is otherwise inconceivable.

1. More than 5.16 billion people use the internet actively.

(Statista)

Statistics from December 2022 show that the internet continues to increase, with more than 64.4% of all the people in the world now counted as active users. That’s an 8.4% increase over 2018’s 4.02 billion (56%) users.

2. As of February 2023, there were more than 1.13 billion websites on the internet.

(Forbes)

While the number of websites has reached 1.13 billion as of February 2023, however, of all those unique web pages, only about 200 million are active and maintained. The internet has a giant graveyard of 82% inactive websites.

3. The average internet user spends 6 hours and 37 minutes online daily.

(Data Reportal) 

Global internet statistics from 2021 show that an average internet user spends 6 hours and 42 minutes daily. However, in 2023, the daily internet usage has dropped from 6 hours 42 minutes to 6 hours 37 minutes, showing that users are reducing the time they spend online daily.

4. More than 328.77 billion gigabytes of data are uploaded to the internet each day.

(Exploding Topics)

Nothing paints a better picture of how huge the internet has become than knowing how much data it absorbs in the blink of an eye. From thousands upon thousands of social media likes, posts, swipes, and photos to more than 2 million emails sent each second, web stats on data show that the scope of human activity on the internet is almost unimaginably large. And it only keeps growing.

5. With over 1.05 billion internet users, China has the most prominent online presence globally as of January 2023.

(Statista) 

China is adopting the internet at an incredible pace. In 2023, it had just 731 million citizens online. Global internet stats show annual growth of almost 50 million users from just one country. The closest competition is another Asian giant, India, with 692 million users online. The United States holds third place with about 311.3 million people online.

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 usag. It surpassed 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. 

World internet usage and population statistics show that the Asian internet population has grown by 2,452% since 2000, the European internet population has grown by 611%, and Africa’s online presence has increased by 13.233%.

7. As of 2023, Monaco has the fastest mobile internet of 319.59 Mbps.

(Wise Voter)

Monaco, with an average internet speed of 319.59 Mbps, is the country with the fastest internet speed worldwide. The European nation has harnessed its top-tier infrastructure and brought internet connectivity to a new level.

Coming second is Singapore, with an average internet speed of 300.83 Mbps, then Chile, with an average internet speed of 298.5 Mbps. 

8. Bots were responsible for 42% of all internet traffic as of 2023.

(Arkose Labs)

Internet traffic statistics from 2022 show that while human-based traffic increased by 8.1% over two years, thanks to digital penetration in developing markets, bot usage remains high. The largest of these bots are the web crawlers GoogleBot and Bingbot, which feed data to search engines.

9. Over 350.5 million domain names were registered in 2022.

(Domain Wheel)

The internet is growing, as proven by the fact that domain names have increased by 13.2 million or 3.9% since 2021. The two most popular top-level domains are .com and .net.

10. About 43% of all websites are powered by WordPress as of 2023.

(Color Lib)

One of the most interesting statistics regarding the internet is that the Content Management System WordPress is now powering more than a third of all websites, including those without a CMS or with a customized CMS. 

If we exclude websites with unknown content management systems, WordPress holds a 64.2% global market share. The most prominent WordPress sites include the New York Times and Forbes.

11. Google.com is the most popular website in the world.

(Similar Web & Statista)

With more than 88.4 billion monthly visits and 8.5 billion daily searches, Google is the undisputed champion of statistics on website usage, even though it is banned in China and faces increasing challenges from that part of the market. 

China’s Baidu search engine is the third most popular website globally. Second place isn’t a search engine but Google’s sibling YouTube, which rules the video streaming market.

12. Google’s Chrome browser holds a 64.8% market share.

(Stat Counter)

Google is more than just the most widely used search engine. The company also dominates the browser market. Internet statistics from 2023 show that Apple’s Safari browser is in second place with a respectable 19.5% market share, while Microsoft Edge has third with just 4.63%.

13. U.S. adults aged 18-29 had an 87% internet penetration rate in 2022.

(Statista)

U.S. internet usage statistics by age reveal that 87% of the youngest generation (18-29) of adults are online. The age group with the highest penetration rate of 90% is those between 30-49. Next are those 50-64 years old, with an 85% penetration rate.

14. About 8.2% of the U.S. population is off the internet as of 2023.

(Data Reportal)

Data shows that 91.8% of Americans are online, implying 311.3 million internet users in the United States in January 2023. Reports from Kepios analysis show that between 2022 and 2023, internet users in the U.S. increased by 1.5 million (0.5%).

Of the adults who report that they are constantly online, internet use statistics say that most are between 18 and 29 years old.

15. 64% of American citizens listen to podcasts as of March 2023.

(Buzz Sprout)

U.S. internet usage statistics reveal a sudden spike in people’s time listening to podcasts to 64%. In comparison, about 28% of Americans reported listening to podcasts weekly. 

16. About 27% of Americans use ad-blocking software.

(Backlinko)

Statistics about internet usage and the growing popularity of ad-blockers show how much people are willing to avoid online advertisements. While ad-blockers share grew slowly to about 27% in 2022, advertisers say they are losing tens of billions yearly.

17. 40% of Americans Google their health-related symptoms instead of going to the doctor.

(Health News)

2,016 Americans aged 40 and over who participated in a OnePoll poll for Bayer reported that 62% of them trust their doctors for medical advice and 42% of them more than health websites. Additionally, 39% admitted using online resources instead of visiting a doctor. 

Self-diagnosis became a common practice as soon as the pandemic started. People generally desire to monitor their overall well-being, but this results from inadequate information and hospital-related dread. 

18. The e-learning market was worth $235.5 billion in 2022.

(Globe Newswire)

Online education is growing steadily, particularly with the increased use of smartphones and the adoption of mobile learning technology. Internet statistics from 2022 suggest that the market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7%, reaching $300 billion by 2025. 

Revenue from online education is expected to show an annual growth rate of 13.5%, resulting in projected revenue growth of $648.6 billion by 2030.

Mobile Internet Usage for 2024

Millions of people have opted for mobile phones based on their portability and ease of use, and with this increase in the use of mobile phones comes a corresponding rise in mobile internet usage. 

Check out these trending mobile internet statistics for 2023.

19. 60% of all internet traffic comes from mobile phones.

(Demand Sage)

For many, having an easy-to-carry device means accessing the internet by simply picking up the phone. Over the last few years, most internet traffic has been recorded on mobile devices. Phone usage statistics and predictions by analysts suggest that 58.43% of people access the internet exclusively via their smartphones as of 2023.

20. Mobile online shopping accounted for 14.8% of U.S. retail sales in 2022.

(Zippia)

Mobile devices like smartphones and tablets are quickly overtaking the world of online shopping, with internet usage statistics showing that 14.8% of retail sales are online in the United States as of 2022. That’s up 12% from a dip of 13.2% in 2021. 

21. American adults spend an average of 4 hours and 30 minutes daily using mobile devices.

(Insider Intelligence)

Statistics on mobile traffic from 2023 show increased reliance on smartphones and other mobile devices and a clear shift away from desktop and laptop computers. In 2023, American adults spend an average of 4 hours and 30 minutes daily using mobile devices, which is expected to reach around 4 hours and 39 minutes by year-end.

Social Media Usage Statistics

Social media is now synonymous with having an online presence. You are only living the life if you are on at least one social media platform. The number of social media users as of 2023 is staggering. 

This is unsurprising as having a smartphone naturally means you have two or more social media accounts ranging from Twitter to Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Whatsapp, TikTok, or Snapchat.

Below are the trending social media statistics for 2023 that you need to be up-to-date on.

22. Facebook is the world’s largest social media platform, with more than 2.96 billion active monthly users around the globe.

(Demandsage & Earth Web)

Facebook is the most popular and well-known social network globally, experiencing stratospheric growth since its inception. The platform’s usage statistics show almost 2.96 billion active monthly users.

The second biggest social media platform is YouTube, with 2.68 billion active monthly users. Facebook’s WhatsApp remains firmly in third place with 2.4 billion. Facebook dominates the list, as its Messenger app, with 1.3 billion active users, is the fourth most popular. In contrast, Instagram, its third most popular platform, has 1.44 billion active users.

23. Social media users spend an average of 2 hours and 27 minutes on the platforms.

(Exploding Topics)

A substantial number of people in the world are now on social media. Digital consumers spend an average of 2 hours and 27 minutes daily posting pictures, hitting Like buttons, or sharing their interests. That’s about half the time they spend watching television, which doesn’t include streaming services like Netflix.

Americans spend about 2 hours and 14 minutes daily, while Canadians spend 1 hour and 45 minutes on social media.

24. More than 900.2 million people around the world have LinkedIn accounts.

(Data Reportal & Publer)

LinkedIn has become a hugely popular social network in the last decade. You can now find 58 million companies on the platform. LinkedIn usage statistics show over 900 million users in over 200 countries. LinkedIn is particularly popular among Americans with a college degree, with 51% using the platform as of April 2023.

25. YouTube is the second-most popular website in the world.

(Amazon Alexa & Similar Web)

This page would only be completed by mentioning how powerful YouTube has become. YouTube has 2.68 billion active monthly users as of March 2023. It is now the primary source of entertainment for a large portion of the population. 

According to Alexa’s rankings, Google is the only website that surpasses YouTube in terms of the sheer volume of visitors. It’s also worth noting that Google has owned YouTube since November 2006.

YouTube video statistics show that when it comes to content like compilation videos and highlights, watch time increased by 400% last year.

26. India has the highest number of Instagram users, with 229 million as of 2023.

(Sprout Social & Statista)

The Instagram app is used all over the world. Instagram user statistics show that even though Americans are one of the largest audiences, they are not the majority. Here is the list of countries with the most Instagrammers:

• India: 229.6 million users
• USA: 143.4 million users
• Brazil:113.5 million users
• Indonesia: 89.2 million users
• Turkey: 48.7 million users
• Japan:  45.7 million users

E-Commerce Usage for 2024

E-commerce is the new goldmine as billions of people have seamlessly migrated to buying whatever they need online without much stress. Physical stores have noticed a significant decrease in patronage over the years after the emergence of online shopping. Seeing the annual revenue of e-commerce worldwide, it’s apparent that online shopping has come to stay.

Read further for more clarification on e-commerce statistics for 2023.

27. Almost 73% of Millennials do more of their shopping online as of March 2023.

(Finance.Yahoo)

The internet has become a primary marketplace for millennials. More than half of all online purchases by millennials are from Amazon. As of March 2023, nearly 73% of millennials reported doing more of their shopping online due to its numerous benefits.

28. 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 as there are currently 2.64 billion online shoppers worldwide – compared to 80 million online buyers than there were in 2022.

Analysts predict this figure will increase to 2.71 billion in 2024 and 2.77 billion in 2025.

29. Online reviews influence 97% of all purchase decisions.

(Oberlo)

The impact of the Internet on customer service cannot be overstated. Consumers have almost complete faith in each other’s reviews, which makes each customer incredibly important to businesses.

Consider Google’s five-star review system. Many customers won’t engage with a business with 3.3 stars or lower. There is no room for mediocrity; internet stats like this prove that the average is not good enough.

30. About 70% of consumers will grocery shop online by 2024.

(Nielsen)

Neilsen found that previous estimates and world statistics were too conservative. The company expects U.S. households to spend about $850 online for food and beverages annually.

31. Over 81% of all online shoppers in the U.S. are subscribed to Amazon Prime as of 2023.

(Search Logistics)

Amazon dominates online shopping, with 92% of American shoppers saying they have bought at least one item from the company. Amazon Prime now has more than 200 million subscribers across 23 different countries. 

The United States has the most Prime Subscribers, accounting for about 74% of all paying Amazon Prime accounts globally. Subscribers aged 18-34 make up 81%, those aged 35-54 make up 68%, while those aged 50 and above account for 60% of Amazon Prime members.

32. U.S. Amazon Prime members will reach 165 million by 2024.

(Search Logistics)

This means that Amazon has 148.6 million Amazon Prime members in the U.S. and will reach 161.7 million by the end of 2023. There are predictions that U.S. prime subscribers will reach approximately 168.3 million by 2025.

Fascinating Facts About the Internet

33. Utah state computer systems experience 300 million hacking attempts a day.

This is one of those internet facts and statistics that initially seemed impossible. But it is the truth. Computer systems in Utah are indeed being attacked at an incredible pace, and the reason is self-explanatory. 

Since Edward Snowden revealed the existence of the NSA’s data center in Utah, the state has become a prime target for hackers searching for signs of weakness in government computer systems.

Before Snowden’s revelations, internet traffic statistics showed that state computer systems were experiencing 25,000 to 80,000 hacking attempts daily. Still, the numbers have skyrocketed, with peaks reaching more than 300 million in a single day. 

State officials say most of these attacks are looking for computer system vulnerabilities via botnets to gain access to secret NSA data. They also note that such hacking goals could be a better use of time since state and federal systems are separate.

34. Founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin were willing to sell Google to Excite for $750,000 in 1999. They were turned down.

This is one of the craziest internet facts and perhaps the most significant missed business opportunities in history. But the deal did not happen, as Excite CEO George Bell decided against the agreement. 

Google’s market cap is now measured in hundreds of billions of dollars, while Excite was acquired by Ask Jeeves in 2004 and became Ask.com.

35. The internet weighs as much as a strawberry.

In 2011, popular YouTuber Vsauce partnered with professor John D. Kubiatowicz of Berkeley University in Florida to calculate how much the internet weighs. 

To make one of the more fascinating facts about the internet possible, Kubiatowicz used Einstein’s formula E=mc2 and assigned a weight to the electrons that make up stored data, then calculated that 4GB of data would increase the weight of your mobile phone by 0.0000000000000000001 grams. 

Data stored in web servers totaled 2.1 zettabytes at that point – or the equivalent of 50 grams.

36. The first 5MB hard disk weighed a ton.

After realizing just how light the internet is, we can look back at one of the more fun facts about the internet and computing, all the way to the dawn of the modern tech industry. 

The year was 1956, and IBM had just introduced its brand-new 5MB hard disk. The disk unit weighed over a ton and was used by the first commercial computer to have a moving-head hard drive, the IBM 305 RAMAC. 

The massive hard drive occupied 16 square feet and stored five million characters of accounting data – a boon since that much data required 64,000 of the era’s punch cards. Production ended when IBM’s 1405 Disk Storage arrived in 1961 for the IBM 1401.

37. The internet requires over 93 billion horsepower to operate.

To end the list of the most exciting internet facts correctly, it is essential to understand how much energy internet servers consume to keep the web operational. 

A Department of Energy report calculated that the energy consumption cost at American data centers is nearly 70 billion kilowatt-hours per year, equivalent to 90 billion horsepower in mechanical energy. This includes only major data centers. Add private servers and user PCs, and the numbers are incalculably large.

Conclusion

There has been a tremendous increase in global Internet access, which means that the number of people who remain “unconnected” to the Internet has fallen to 2.85 billion. 

However, 5.16 billion people worldwide used the Internet at the start of 2023, equivalent to 64.4 percent  (two-thirds) of the world’s total population. The Internet will continue to become more accessible worldwide over the next decade.