Global search is dominated by Google, with a 91.38% share of traffic as of Q1 2024, yet user behavior keeps shifting across devices, apps, and services. Mobile use is driving huge growth in consumption and speed demands while security threats are escalating, with 75 days on average to contain a breach in 2023 and 880,418 reported phishing victims in the US. Let’s connect these signals and see how everyday online habits line up with the infrastructure behind them.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, 4.33 billion people used messaging apps (DataReportal, Digital 2022 Global Overview)
- In 2024, 2.55 billion people were using online shopping (DataReportal, Digital 2024 Global Overview)
- As of Q1 2024, Google had a 91.38% share of global search engine traffic
- 2.98 billion people used online banking services in 2023
- 92% of Americans used the internet in 2021 (including 81% who used broadband or cell data at home)
- 95% of UK adults used the internet in 2022
- Global mobile data traffic reached 9.6 exabytes per month in 2019
- In the US, average monthly data usage per smartphone line was 5.5 GB in 2017, 17.6 GB in 2020, and 27 GB in 2023
- In the UK, average monthly data use per mobile connection was 23.4 GB in 2023
- In Q1 2024, average global fixed broadband latency was 17 ms (Ookla Speedtest Global Index)
- In 2023, 99.5% of sampled broadband performance measurements met the required QoS threshold for many services in the UK (Ofcom broad measurement summary)
- In the EU, 87% of households had access to at least 100 Mbps in 2023
- In 2024, the global cybersecurity market was forecast at $232.1 billion (Fortune Business Insights)
- In 2023, the global public cloud end-user spending totaled $563.2 billion (Gartner)
- In 2024, global OTT video revenues were forecast at $162.5 billion (Omdia)
Internet and mobile usage keeps surging, while online services, security, and speed demands rise.
Related reading
Application And Behavior
1In 2022, 4.33 billion people used messaging apps (DataReportal, Digital 2022 Global Overview)[1]
Single source
2In 2024, 2.55 billion people were using online shopping (DataReportal, Digital 2024 Global Overview)[2]
Verified
3As of Q1 2024, Google had a 91.38% share of global search engine traffic[3]
Single source
4In 2023, US adults who use social media were 72%[4]
Single source
5In 2024, 79% of UK adults used online services at least once a week (Ofcom, Internet use and attitudes)[5]
Verified
Application And Behavior Interpretation
In the Application And Behavior space, daily digital habits are dominated by messaging and search with 4.33 billion people using messaging apps in 2022 and Google taking 91.38% of global search traffic as of Q1 2024.
More related reading
Global Adoption
12.98 billion people used online banking services in 2023[6]
Verified
292% of Americans used the internet in 2021 (including 81% who used broadband or cell data at home)[7]
Verified
395% of UK adults used the internet in 2022[8]
Verified
Global Adoption Interpretation
Under the Global Adoption category, online connectivity is clearly widespread, with 2.98 billion people using online banking in 2023 and internet usage hitting 92% in the US in 2021 and 95% among UK adults in 2022.
More related reading
Network Usage
1Global mobile data traffic reached 9.6 exabytes per month in 2019[9]
Verified
2In the US, average monthly data usage per smartphone line was 5.5 GB in 2017, 17.6 GB in 2020, and 27 GB in 2023[10]
Single source
3In the UK, average monthly data use per mobile connection was 23.4 GB in 2023[11]
Verified
Network Usage Interpretation
Network usage is accelerating rapidly, with global mobile data traffic hitting 9.6 exabytes per month in 2019 and US average smartphone data rising from 5.5 GB per line in 2017 to 27 GB in 2023, while the UK reaches 23.4 GB per month per mobile connection in 2023.
Speed And Quality
1In Q1 2024, average global fixed broadband latency was 17 ms (Ookla Speedtest Global Index)[12]
Verified
2In 2023, 99.5% of sampled broadband performance measurements met the required QoS threshold for many services in the UK (Ofcom broad measurement summary)[13]
Directional
3In the EU, 87% of households had access to at least 100 Mbps in 2023[14]
Verified
4In the EU, 50% of households subscribed to gigabit-capable connections in 2023[15]
Directional
5In 2023, 5G coverage reached about 75% of the population in the EU (Digital Economy and Society factsheet)[16]
Single source
6In 2023, the average mobile download speed in the US was 65.7 Mbps (Ookla Speedtest Global Index, country view)[17]
Verified
7In 2023, the average fixed download speed in Japan was 265.2 Mbps (Ookla Speedtest Global Index, country view)[18]
Single source
Speed And Quality Interpretation
Across Speed And Quality, the data show a clear shift toward higher performance and better reliability, with EU households reaching 100 Mbps access for 87% and 50% subscribing to gigabit capable connections in 2023.
More related reading
Economics And Markets
1In 2024, the global cybersecurity market was forecast at $232.1 billion (Fortune Business Insights)[19]
Verified
2In 2023, the global public cloud end-user spending totaled $563.2 billion (Gartner)[20]
Verified
3In 2024, global OTT video revenues were forecast at $162.5 billion (Omdia)[21]
Verified
4In 2023, global e-commerce grew 7% year-over-year to $5.8 trillion (UNCTAD)[22]
Verified
5In 2022, global data center market revenue was $197.6 billion (Statista data; derived from DC Byte/CBRE estimates)[23]
Verified
6In 2023, the global CDN market was $13.7 billion (MarketsandMarkets)[24]
Verified
7In 2023, the global VPN services market reached $5.1 billion (Fortune Business Insights)[25]
Verified
Economics And Markets Interpretation
From an economics and markets perspective, rapid digital spending growth is clear as global public cloud end user spending rose to $563.2 billion in 2023 while adjacent infrastructure and services also expanded, including the cybersecurity market forecast at $232.1 billion in 2024 and OTT video revenues projected to reach $162.5 billion in 2024.
More related reading
Security And Risks
1In 2023, the average time to contain a security breach was 75 days (IBM Cost of a Data Breach report)[26]
Verified
2In 2023, 880,418 phishing victims were reported in the US (FBI IC3 2023 report)[27]
Verified
Security And Risks Interpretation
In 2023, organizations took an average of 75 days to contain a security breach while the US recorded 880,418 reported phishing victims, underscoring how slow response times can magnify the security risks of frequent human-targeted attacks.
How We Rate Confidence
Models
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Single source
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Directional
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
Verified
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Models
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Julian Richter. (2026, February 13). Internet Usage Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/internet-usage-statistics
MLA
Julian Richter. "Internet Usage Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/internet-usage-statistics.
Chicago
Julian Richter. 2026. "Internet Usage Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/internet-usage-statistics.
References
- 1datareportal.com/reports/digital-2022-global-overview-report
- 2datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-global-overview-report
- 3gs.statcounter.com/search-engine-market-share
- 4pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/
- 7pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/internet-broadband/
- 5ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/internet-and-broadband-facts-and-figures/internet-use-and-attitudes
- 8ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/internet-and-broadband-facts-and-figures
- 11ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/data/mobiles/data-consumption
- 13ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/quality-of-service/quality-of-service-2023
- 6statista.com/statistics/420714/number-of-online-banking-users-worldwide/
- 23statista.com/topics/3739/data-centers/
- 9itu.int/itunews/manager/display.asp?g=2019-06-itunews-telecoms&h=2019-06-telecoms-data
- 10fcc.gov/reports-research/reports/broadband-progress-report/number-smartphone-data-usage
- 12speedtest.net/global-index
- 17speedtest.net/global-index/united-states
- 18speedtest.net/global-index/japan
- 14digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/factsheet-100-mbps-households-2023
- 15digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/communications-and-consumer-statistics-gigabit-connectivity
- 16digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/telecoms-connectivity-statistics
- 19fortunebusinessinsights.com/cybersecurity-market-106417
- 25fortunebusinessinsights.com/vpn-services-market-105530
- 20gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2024-11-20-gartner-forecasts-worldwide-public-cloud-end-user-spending-to-total-679-billion-in-2024
- 21omdia.com/resources/product-content/press-releases/2024/ott-market-to-grow
- 22unctad.org/publication/digital-economy-report-2024
- 24marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/content-delivery-network-market-151589193.html
- 26ibm.com/reports/data-breach
- 27ic3.gov/Media/PDF/AnnualReport/2023_IC3Report.pdf