A click away: National patterns for Internet use


ByDr. Tim Sandle
November 9, 2024
DIGITAL JOURNAL

Elon Musk's X network was blocked in Brazil in late August - Copyright AFP/File Mauro PIMENTEL

Brazil ranks first in the list of the most Internet-addicted countries, with the highest weekly time spent on social media, streaming TV shows, and e-learning, according to a new survey.

South Korea stands out for its high time spent streaming TV shows, highlighting a strong preference for digital content consumption. Hong Kong leads in video calling and shows significant engagement in online shopping, taking the second spot on the rank.

The review was conducted by the firm ZeroBounce, who analysed data across various countries to identify the most Internet-addicted nations.

For this exercise, the key metrics were: Time spent per week using social media, streaming TV shows, online shopping, administrative tasks (like online banking), video calling, looking up recipes, and e-learning. The study ranks countries based on a composite score that reflects their overall internet usage patterns.

In summary, the top ten nations for Internet usage are:

Brazil
Hong Kong
Mexico
Australia
Taiwan
South Korea
Italy
Canada
Portugal
Netherlands

Brazil ranks first as the most Internet-addicted country, with its population spending more time online than any other nation.

Brazilians clock in 13:03 hours weekly, streaming TV shows, the highest among all countries, and 11:19 hours on social media, the second-highest after Mexico. This extensive internet usage is further complemented by 5:28 hours dedicated to e-learning, which is also the highest time spent in this category across all nations.

Hong Kong takes second place with an online presence dominated by communication and e-commerce. Residents spend 5:27 hours per week on video calling, the highest of all countries, and 5:23 hours on online shopping, making Hong Kong the leader in e-commerce time. The country devotes 4:41 hours to administrative tasks such as online banking, which is also the highest in this category, showcasing the population’s internet reliance.

Mexico ranks third with 12:33 hours per week spent on streaming TV shows, making it the second-highest country in this category. Australia takes fourth place, with Australians spending 9:14 hours per week on social media and 6:29 hours streaming TV shows.

Taiwan ranks fifth, with residents spending significant time across a variety of online activities. On average, Taiwanese people spend 6:34 hours per week streaming TV shows and 4:27 hours shopping online.

South Korea ranks sixth with 7:38 hours per week spent on streaming TV shows; whereas, Italy’s online habits place it seventh on the list, with residents spending 7:44 hours per week streaming TV shows and 7:14 hours on social media.

Canada ranks eighth, with a particular emphasis on streaming, as residents spend 8:19 hours per week consuming TV shows online. Portugal takes ninth place, with residents spending a notable 8:28 hours on social media and 5:44 hours streaming TV shows each week.

Rounding out the top ten, the Netherlands demonstrates a high Internet reliance, with residents spending 6:09 hours per week streaming TV shows and 6:17 hours on social media. The Dutch also dedicate 4:44 hours to administrative tasks, the second-highest amount in the list, reflecting a preference for online daily life management.