Of the 7.98 billion people in the world, the study counted five billion users connected to the internet (63%), of which 92.4% use their phone to get online – a figure lower than last year.
On average, an internet user spends six hours, 53 minutes online per day. While this might sound surprising, it’s still three minutes less than during the same period in 2021, the study reports.
The mobile phone remains the most-used device to access the internet, ahead of computers, chosen by 68% of users.
Nigeria is the country where the most internet users use their phone to surf the web (98.4% of 16- to 64-year-olds). Elsewhere, this figure does not fall below 83%, with Denmark being the last country on the list with 83.2%.
But what do these internet users do online? According to the study, the most-used type of sites and applications on the internet are chat and messaging services (95.7% of users), while social networks follow closely with 95.2%.
YouTube is the most-visited website, according to the Semrush ranking in February, ahead of Google and Facebook.
Keeping in touch with friends and family is the second-most popular reason for using the internet (54.7% of 16- to 64-year-olds). But topping the list is “finding information”, a rather vague reason, chosen by 60.2% of respondents.
Global stats
Worldwide, some countries are much more connected than others. The Philippines is the leader when it comes to time spent online, with 10 hours 23 minutes spent per day on the internet, via any device.
That’s more than twice the time spent by Japan’s internet users, who stay connected for four hours, three minutes per day, below the world average of six hours, 53 minutes.
Users in the United States are above average, with seven hours, 11 minutes spent on the internet, although the country doesn’t even make the top 10.
The countries that spend the most time on the internet per day via any device (from 16 to 64 years old) are:
- Philippines: 10 hours and 23 minutes
- South Africa: 10 hours and 19 minutes
- Brazil: 9 hours and 56 minutes
- Argentina: 9 hours and 46 minutes
- Colombia: 9 hours and 46 minutes
- Malaysia: 9 hours and 4 minutes
- Mexico: 8 hours and 56 minutes
- Thailand: 8 hours and 49 minutes
- United Arab Emirates: 8 hours and 28 minutes
- Indonesia: 8 hours and 8 minutes
The study counted 4.65 billion users on social networks, which is 326 million more than the same period last year. This represents 93.1% of internet users in the world and 58.7% of the entire population.
Men are the most present on social networks (54.2%), and 75.1% of users on social networks are over 13 years old.
On average, internet users spend two hours and 29 minutes on social networks worldwide. That’s seven minutes more than last year.
Those of Generation Z spend an average of 4.5 hours a day on social networks, making it their preferred platform for accessing entertainment, news, shopping and messaging.
Japan takes the surprise spot of last place in the ranking of countries that spend the most time on social networks. Japanese users aged 16-64 spend an average of 50 minutes on social platforms every day, behind South Korea (one hour and 13 minutes) and the Netherlands (one hour and 25 minutes).
France is 41st with one hour, 46 minutes; the US 25th with two hours, 17 minutes; and the United Kingdom 35th with one hour, 56 minutes.
All fall below the world average. Nigeria tops the ranking with four hours and 49 minutes spent on social networks each day, followed by the Philippines.
Generation Z – defined as 16- to 24-year-olds – are the most addicted to social networks, especially women. They spend an average of three hours and 11 minutes online, compared with two hours and 40 minutes for men.
Unsurprisingly, 55- to 64-year-olds are the least keen on social platforms. Women spend one hour, 43 minutes of their time on these sites, compared with one hour and 26 minutes for men.
Regardless of age, women remain the most present on social networks, in terms of time.
Social networks remain most useful for keeping in touch with family and friends, according to 47.5% of users aged 16 to 24. Meanwhile, 36.6% use social platforms to fill their free time; 34.8% log on to read news stories; and 31% use the networks to search for articles or videos.
Note that social-network users also turn to these applications for shopping – 27.6% seek inspiration for activities or purchases, and 26.6% focus on finding products to buy.
Facebook remains the most-used platform, followed by YouTube and WhatsApp, before Instagram, WeChat, TikTok, Messenger and Douyin. Snapchat is ranked only ninth, while Twitter does not even make the top 10.
Users don’t just use one social network. On average, 7.4 platforms are used per month worldwide. India is the country where the most social platforms are used per person, with an average of 8.7, compared with 3.7 in Japan.
Although Facebook remains the most popular, 16.6% of 16- to 24-year-olds say they prefer WhatsApp and Instagram (14.9%). TikTok is chosen by only 4.6%, before Twitter at 3.2%.
Discord is the last platform, while Snapchat only captured 1.3% of preferences.
WhatsApp is the preferred platform for 55- to 64-year-olds (20.9%), Facebook is more popular among the 35-44 age group (16.5%), while Instagram is more popular among the younger generations, according to 24.2% of 16- to 24-year-olds and 18% of those 25-34.
Each platform is used for different reasons. Facebook is most used to message friends and family (71.1%); while TikTok (77.4%) and Reddit (37.8%) are used for fun and to search for entertaining content.
Unsurprisingly, Instagram (69.9%) and Snapchat (40.3%) are the ideal platforms for posting/sharing photos and videos.
Here’s how much time is spent on social networks per day by country (ages 16-64):
- Nigeria: 4 hours and 49 minutes
- Philippines: 4 hours and 01 minutes
- South Africa: 3 hours and 56 minutes
- Brazil: 3 hours and 47 minutes
- Colombia: 3 hours and 41 minutes
- Ghana: 3 hours and 32 minutes
- Mexico: 3 hours and 26 minutes
- Kenya: 3 hours and 25 minutes
- Argentina: 3 hours and 32 minutes
- Indonesia: 3 hours and 19 minutes