As of February 2025, there were 5.56 billion internet users worldwide, which amounted to 67.9 percent of the global population. Of this total, 5.24 billion, or 63.9 percent of the world's population, were social media users. Global internet usage Connecting billions of people worldwide, the internet is a core pillar of the modern information society. Northern Europe ranked first among worldwide regions by the share of the population using the internet in 2024. In The Netherlands, Norway and Saudi Arabia, 99 percent of the population used the internet as of April 2024. North Korea was at the opposite end of the spectrum, with virtually no internet usage penetration among the general population, ranking last worldwide. Asia was home to the largest number of online users worldwide – over 2.93 billion at the latest count. Europe ranked second, with around 750 million internet users. China, India, and the United States rank ahead of other countries worldwide by the number of internet users. Worldwide internet user demographics As of 2023, the share of female internet users worldwide was 65 percent, five percent less than that of men. Gender disparity in internet usage was bigger in the Arab States and Africa, with around a ten percent difference. Worldwide regions, like the Commonwealth of Independent States and Europe, showed a smaller gender gap. As of 2023, global internet usage was higher among individuals between 15 and 24 years across all regions, with young people in Europe representing the most significant usage penetration, 98 percent. In comparison, the worldwide average for the age group 15–24 years was 79 percent. The income level of the countries was also an essential factor for internet access, as 93 percent of the population of the countries with high income reportedly used the internet, as opposed to only 27 percent of the low-income markets.

The global number of internet users in was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 1.3 billion users (+23.66 percent). After the fifteenth consecutive increasing year, the number of users is estimated to reach 7 billion users and therefore a new peak in 2029. Notably, the number of internet users of was continuously increasing over the past years.Depicted is the estimated number of individuals in the country or region at hand, that use the internet. As the datasource clarifies, connection quality and usage frequency are distinct aspects, not taken into account here.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the number of internet users in countries like the Americas and Asia.

In the third quarter of 2023, consumers in Norway were the top purchasers of digital content. Whether it is movies, music, streaming services, etc., nearly 80 percent of Norwegian internet users purchased this type of content in the past month. Mexican and Chilean consumers ranked second and third, at 78.9 and 76.2 percent respectively. Digital content market Between 2023 and 2027, the revenue from media and digital content is expected to soar, with consumers projected to spend about 1.31 trillion U.S. dollars on services with recurring payments. This growth is indicative of the increasing reliance on digital platforms for entertainment and information. Furthermore, the shift towards subscription-based models for digital content underscores the evolving consumer preferences and the potential for sustained growth in this sector. Different products In the third quarter of 2023, approximately 30% of global internet users had paid monthly for movie and series streaming services, while over 22% had done the same for music streaming and download services. This data underscores the specific preferences of consumers in terms of digital content, with streaming services emerging as a particularly popular choice for expenditure.

When asked about "Attitudes towards the internet", most Mexican respondents pick "It is important to me to have mobile internet access in any place at any time" as an answer. 55 percent did so in our online survey in 2024. Looking to gain valuable insights about users of internet providers worldwide? Check out our

In the digital age, every minute counts as billions of users engage with online platforms worldwide. The year 2024 saw an astounding 251.1 million emails sent, 138.9 million Reels played on Facebook and Instagram, and 5.9 million Google searches conducted every 60 seconds. Social media's continued dominance Social media platforms remain at the forefront of online interactions, with Facebook leading the pack at over three billion monthly active users. The broader Meta ecosystem, including Instagram and WhatsApp, further solidifies its position in the digital landscape. TikTok, a relative newcomer, has rapidly gained traction, generating 186 million downloads in the fourth quarter of 2024 alone. Evolving digital consumption patterns While traditional streaming services like Netflix continue to dominate, with 362,962 hours streamed every minute, the digital media landscape is experiencing shifts in user preferences. Netflix recorded over 300 million paid subscribers worldwide as of the fourth quarter of 2024.

As of February 2024, over a third of online users worldwide were aged between 25 and 34 years. Website visitors in this age bracket constituted the biggest group of online users worldwide. Also, 19 percent of global online users were aged 18 to 24 years. The global digital population aged 65 or older represented approximately 4.2 percent of all internet users worldwide. Social media usage and Meta Social media is a major driver of internet use, with a global penetration rate of 62.2 percent. On average, internet users spend 143 minutes per day on social media, highlighting its significant impact on daily online activities. The usage of social media is mostly dominated by Meta platforms, which own four of the largest social media platforms. Facebook leads the ranking with over three billion active users, followed by Instagram and WhatsApp. Instagram's global popularity Meta’s social video platform, Instagram, had long been one of the most engaging social media platforms worldwide, and it was projected to reach 1.44 billion monthly active users. Instagram was particularly favored by users aged 18 to 34, thanks to its ability to offer a variety of interactive content, from images and carousels. This diverse range of content types was a key factor in its popularity among its young user base.

As of February 2025, English was the most popular language for web content, with over 49.4 percent of websites using it. Spanish ranked second, with six percent of web content, while the content in the German language followed, with 5.6 percent. English as the leading online language United States and India, the countries with the most internet users after China, are also the world's biggest English-speaking markets. The internet user base in both countries combined, as of January 2023, was over a billion individuals. This has led to most of the online information being created in English. Consequently, even those who are not native speakers may use it for convenience. Global internet usage by regions As of October 2024, the number of internet users worldwide was 5.52 billion. In the same period, Northern Europe and North America were leading in terms of internet penetration rates worldwide, with around 97 percent of its populations accessing the internet.

When asked about "Attitudes towards the internet", most Japanese respondents pick "I could no longer imagine my everyday life without the internet" as an answer. 56 percent did so in our online survey in 2024. Looking to gain valuable insights about users of internet providers worldwide? Check out our

In 2024, approximately 67 percent of internet users surveyed in Brazil said they had shared content online, down from 73 percent of the two previous years. Additionally, staying in touch with friends and family, reading news stories and finding content were listed as some of the main reasons for the usage of social media in the country in 2022.

When asked about "Attitudes towards the internet", most Chinese respondents pick "It is important to me to have mobile internet access in any place at any time" as an answer. 49 percent did so in our online survey in 2024. Looking to gain valuable insights about users of internet providers worldwide? Check out our

In recent years, video has become one of the most popular online formats, spanning from educational content to product reviews. During the third quarter of 2024, music videos recorded the highest category reach, with almost half of internet users worldwide reporting to watch music videos online each week. Social video engagement In recent years, YouTube and TikTok have become two of the most important social media platforms for global users, as video content commands high levels of engagement. In 2024, users worldwide spent approximately 28.4 hours using the YouTube mobile app per month. Additionally, the leading hashtags used by content creators on TikTok have amassed billions of views: as of January 2024, the TikTok hashtag “fyp” or “for you page” had reached 55 and 35 billion post views, respectively. Watching content: what device do users prefer? In 2023, televisions were the most used devices for global viewers to watch video-on-demand (VOD), with 55 percent of respondents reporting using these devices. In comparison, 13 percent of respondents reported using smartphones. Age group and generation are factors impacting viewership habits and device preferences, as younger users appear to prefer using their smartphones to consume content. According to a March 2024 survey, U.S. users aged 18-34 years were more likely to watch video content on smartphones than any other devices. By comparison, connected TVs were particularly popular for the online video audience aged 35 and older.

When asked about "Attitudes towards the internet", most Australian respondents pick "It is important to me to have mobile internet access in any place at any time" as an answer. 53 percent did so in our online survey in 2024. Looking to gain valuable insights about users of internet providers worldwide? Check out our

During a survey conducted in 2023, around 70 percent of responding female internet users in Brazil stated that they had shared content online, while 63 percent of their male counterparts said they had done the same. Overall, 67 percent of Brazilian internet users said they had shared content on the internet, with a higher rate among users aged between 16 to 44 years old.

According to a 2023 survey, over 70 percent of internet users in Brazil aged between 16 to 44 claimed to have shared content online. Around 76 percent of internet users in Brazil aged between 25 and 34 years and surveyed said they shared content online. Overall, 67 percent of responding internet users in Brazil stated the same.

As of the third quarter of 2024, around 98 percent of global users accessed the internet via mobile phones, while 97.8 percent reported doing so via smartphones. By comparison, internet access via laptop or desktop computer was reported by almost 58.3 percent of respondents. Additionally, smart wrists were common among 31 percent of the respondents. Online video consumption In 2023, texting and watching online videos were among the most popular activities for smartphone users worldwide. By the first quarter of 2024, 92 percent of internet users globally were watching online videos monthly. TikTok is a prime example of this trend, as it became the platform where U.S. adults spent more daily time than on any other social media app as of June 2023. Gaming and live-streaming Video game streaming has become a leading trend in watched video content, accounting for 22 percent of online reach by the fourth quarter of 2024. This growth is driven mostly by the shift from single player to multiplayer gaming. For example, the multiplayer game Grand Theft Auto V was the most-watched game, with over 168 million monthly watch hours across live-streaming platforms in June 2024. On Twitch alone, gamers watched over 3.3 billion hours of live-streamed content in the first quarter of 2024.

Between May 2022 and May 2023, the most visited online content category among children worldwide was software, audio, and video. Kids using iOS visited sites in this category most frequently, accounting for 46.49 percent of the total. Internet communication comprised 32.04 percent of kids' online visits via iOS, followed closely by Android at 32 percent, and Windows with just over 30 percent.

The population share with mobile internet access in North America was forecast to increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 2.9 percentage points. This overall increase does not happen continuously, notably not in 2028 and 2029. The mobile internet penetration is estimated to amount to 84.21 percent in 2029. Notably, the population share with mobile internet access of was continuously increasing over the past years.The penetration rate refers to the share of the total population having access to the internet via a mobile broadband connection.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the population share with mobile internet access in countries like Caribbean and Europe.

In the third quarter of 2023, roughly 30 percent of global internet users had paid monthly for movie and series streaming services. Music streaming and download services followed in the ranking of most popular types of digital content, with just over 22 percent of web users.

As of the third quarter of 2024, internet users spent six hours and 38 minutes online daily. This is a slight increase in comparison to the previous quarter. Overall, between the third quarter of 2015 and the third quarter of 2024, the average daily internet use has increased by 19 minutes. Most online countries Internet users between 16 and 64 years old in South Africa spent the longest time online daily, nine hours and 27 minutes, followed by Brazil and the Philippines. These figures include the time spent using the internet on any device. In Japan, internet users spent around three hours and 57 minutes online per day. Users in Denmark also spent relatively less time on the internet, reaching about five hours daily. Most common online activities According to a 2024 survey, more than six in 10 people worldwide used the internet to find information. Furthermore, the usage of communication platforms was also a common reason for going online, followed by online content consumption, such as watching videos, TV shows, or movies.

How much time do people spend on social media? As of 2024, the average daily social media usage of internet users worldwide amounted to 143 minutes per day, down from 151 minutes in the previous year. Currently, the country with the most time spent on social media per day is Brazil, with online users spending an average of three hours and 49 minutes on social media each day. In comparison, the daily time spent with social media in the U.S. was just two hours and 16 minutes. Global social media usageCurrently, the global social network penetration rate is 62.3 percent. Northern Europe had an 81.7 percent social media penetration rate, topping the ranking of global social media usage by region. Eastern and Middle Africa closed the ranking with 10.1 and 9.6 percent usage reach, respectively. People access social media for a variety of reasons. Users like to find funny or entertaining content and enjoy sharing photos and videos with friends, but mainly use social media to stay in touch with current events friends. Global impact of social mediaSocial media has a wide-reaching and significant impact on not only online activities but also offline behavior and life in general. During a global online user survey in February 2019, a significant share of respondents stated that social media had increased their access to information, ease of communication, and freedom of expression. On the flip side, respondents also felt that social media had worsened their personal privacy, increased a polarization in politics and heightened everyday distractions.