Mobile Devices Cement Lead in Global Web Traffic as Desktop Use Declines

Over the past decade and a half, the balance of global web traffic has shifted dramatically from desktop computers toward mobile devices, with tablets playing a smaller but steady role. Data from January 2009 to July 2025 shows how smartphones have transformed the way people access the internet, overtaking desktop usage in late 2016 and maintaining a clear lead ever since.

In early 2009, desktop devices dominated almost all internet activity, holding 99.3% of global web traffic, while mobile accounted for just 0.7% and tablets registered no measurable share. The following years saw a gradual erosion of desktop’s lead as mobile adoption accelerated, crossing the 10% mark by mid-2012. That year also marked the arrival of tablets as a measurable traffic source, though their share never exceeded single digits.

Between 2013 and 2015, mobile traffic grew steadily from under 20% to nearly 40%, while desktop’s share fell below two-thirds. By October 2016, mobile usage finally edged past desktop for the first time, with tablets contributing just under 5%. The gap widened quickly in subsequent years, reflecting the rise of mobile-first browsing habits and wider smartphone penetration across both developed and emerging markets.

From 2017 through 2021, mobile consistently held above 50% of global traffic, peaking at nearly 57% in December 2020. Desktop usage during that period stayed in the low-to-mid-40% range, while tablets gradually slid from about 5% to under 3%.

The trend continued through the early 2020s, with mobile surpassing 60% of traffic in mid-2022 and hovering near that level for much of the following two years. Tablets saw a modest but persistent decline, settling around 2% of traffic. Desktop usage, meanwhile, stabilized at just under 40% during most of this period.

As of July 2025, mobile accounts for 60.5% of all web traffic worldwide, compared to 39.5% for desktop and 1.6% for tablets. While seasonal and short-term fluctuations occasionally narrow the gap, the long-term trajectory suggests mobile will remain the dominant platform for internet access in the foreseeable future.

Date (Year-Month)	Desktop (%)	Mobile (%)	Tablet (%)
2009-01	99.33	0.67	0
2009-02	99.31	0.69	0
2009-03	99.2	0.8	0
2009-04	99.14	0.86	0
2009-05	99.14	0.86	0
2009-06	99.06	0.94	0
2009-07	98.95	1.05	0
2009-08	98.88	1.12	0
2009-09	98.88	1.12	0
2009-10	98.85	1.15	0
2009-11	98.79	1.21	0
2009-12	98.72	1.28	0
2010-01	98.44	1.56	0
2010-02	98.28	1.72	0
2010-03	98.04	1.96	0
2010-04	97.82	2.18	0
2010-05	97.68	2.32	0
2010-06	97.43	2.57	0
2010-07	97.14	2.86	0
2010-08	96.79	3.21	0
2010-09	96.5	3.5	0
2010-10	96.19	3.81	0
2010-11	95.98	4.02	0
2010-12	95.9	4.1	0
2011-01	95.7	4.3	0
2011-02	95.55	4.45	0
2011-03	95.3	4.7	0
2011-04	94.79	5.21	0
2011-05	94.25	5.75	0
2011-06	93.47	6.53	0
2011-07	92.98	7.02	0
2011-08	92.88	7.12	0
2011-09	93.26	6.74	0
2011-10	93.45	6.55	0
2011-11	93.05	6.95	0
2011-12	91.96	8.04	0
2012-01	91.51	8.49	0
2012-02	91.47	8.53	0
2012-03	91.01	8.99	0
2012-04	90.42	9.58	0
2012-05	89.89	10.11	0
2012-06	89.6	10.4	0
2012-07	88.91	11.09	0
2012-08	85.69	11.44	2.86
2012-09	85.33	11.66	3.01
2012-10	85.02	11.92	3.06
2012-11	84.13	12.66	3.22
2012-12	82.42	14.04	3.54
2013-01	82.41	13.56	4.03
2013-02	81.86	13.71	4.43
2013-03	81.69	13.79	4.52
2013-04	82.43	13.31	4.27
2013-05	81.68	13.98	4.33
2013-06	80.01	15.33	4.66
2013-07	78.66	16.51	4.83
2013-08	78.08	17.14	4.78
2013-09	78.39	16.98	4.63
2013-10	76.68	18.78	4.54
2013-11	76.13	19.08	4.78
2013-12	72.55	22.18	5.27
2014-01	71.95	22.39	5.66
2014-02	70.99	23.25	5.76
2014-03	70.23	23.93	5.84
2014-04	70.61	23.56	5.83
2014-05	68.55	25.41	6.04
2014-06	66.93	26.66	6.4
2014-07	65.83	27.51	6.66
2014-08	64.65	28.57	6.78
2014-09	63.84	29.36	6.8
2014-10	62.77	30.67	6.56
2014-11	61.92	31.54	6.54
2014-12	61.68	31.82	6.5
2015-01	62.38	31.06	6.55
2015-02	62.62	30.81	6.57
2015-03	62.26	31.58	6.17
2015-04	62.71	31.56	5.73
2015-05	61.49	32.82	5.69
2015-06	60.11	34.21	5.68
2015-07	57	37.15	5.85
2015-08	55.22	39.18	5.6
2015-09	55.91	38.78	5.31
2015-10	55.86	39.01	5.14
2015-11	57.21	37.62	5.17
2015-12	56.25	38.62	5.13
2016-01	55.86	38.88	5.26
2016-02	55.82	38.96	5.22
2016-03	54.19	40.6	5.2
2016-04	53.54	41.32	5.14
2016-05	51.46	43.5	5.04
2016-06	53.22	41.61	5.16
2016-07	50.1	44.75	5.15
2016-08	50.61	44.41	4.98
2016-09	50.28	44.91	4.81
2016-10	48.74	46.53	4.73
2016-11	46.93	48.25	4.82
2016-12	44.79	50.31	4.9
2017-01	45.27	49.6	5.13
2017-02	45.23	49.73	5.04
2017-03	44.36	50.75	4.88
2017-04	43.23	51.95	4.82
2017-05	43.59	51.7	4.71
2017-06	42.19	53.03	4.78
2017-07	41.22	53.99	4.79
2017-08	42.75	52.64	4.62
2017-09	43.29	52.29	4.42
2017-10	44.78	50.87	4.35
2017-11	45.68	50.02	4.3
2017-12	43.26	52.48	4.26
2018-01	43.87	51.92	4.21
2018-02	44.12	51.82	4.06
2018-03	44.27	51.56	4.18
2018-04	44.66	51.2	4.14
2018-05	44.1	52	3.89
2018-06	43.63	52.52	3.85
2018-07	43.11	52.95	3.94
2018-08	43.33	52.54	4.13
2018-09	44.12	51.7	4.18
2018-10	47.78	48.2	4.03
2018-11	52.07	44.19	3.74
2018-12	47.2	49.06	3.74
2019-01	47.02	49.11	3.87
2019-02	48.21	47.96	3.83
2019-03	47.04	48.98	3.98
2019-04	47.79	48.32	3.9
2019-05	48.27	47.9	3.84
2019-06	45.53	50.71	3.76
2019-07	45.18	51.11	3.71
2019-08	44.6	51.65	3.75
2019-09	44.57	51.78	3.65
2019-10	44.59	52.48	2.93
2019-11	45.17	52.03	2.8
2019-12	43.99	53.29	2.72
2020-01	45.29	52.02	2.7
2020-02	45.66	51.69	2.65
2020-03	45.32	52.03	2.65
2020-04	43.27	53.81	2.92
2020-05	46.51	50.48	3
2020-06	47.06	50.13	2.81
2020-07	46.39	50.88	2.74
2020-08	45.9	51.33	2.78
2020-09	47.17	50.21	2.62
2020-10	48.88	48.62	2.5
2020-11	44.22	52.95	2.83
2020-12	41.46	55.73	2.81
2021-01	41.45	55.68	2.87
2021-02	42.63	54.46	2.91
2021-03	42.93	54.22	2.85
2021-04	42.66	54.57	2.76
2021-05	41.98	55.3	2.72
2021-06	41.96	55.4	2.64
2021-07	41.36	55.89	2.74
2021-08	40.39	56.86	2.75
2021-09	42.87	54.61	2.52
2021-10	43.15	54.37	2.48
2021-11	43.55	53.98	2.48
2021-12	42.65	54.86	2.49
2022-01	42.54	54.98	2.47
2022-02	41.59	55.98	2.43
2022-03	41.15	56.45	2.4
2022-04	39.37	58.16	2.47
2022-05	38.65	59.02	2.33
2022-06	37.99	59.74	2.27
2022-07	37	60.73	2.27
2022-08	38.53	59.25	2.22
2022-09	39.27	58.64	2.09
2022-10	39.72	58.27	2.02
2022-11	39	59.02	1.98
2022-12	37.71	60.29	2
2023-01	39.41	58.52	2.07
2023-02	38.6	59.36	2.04
2023-03	40.8	57.18	2.02
2023-04	44.4	53.61	1.99
2023-05	47.41	50.71	1.88
2023-06	42.2	55.87	1.92
2023-07	42.4	55.67	1.93
2023-08	43.72	54.41	1.87
2023-09	45.13	53.03	1.84
2023-10	45.54	52.69	1.77
2023-11	44.52	53.66	1.82
2023-12	40.08	57.97	1.95
2024-01	39.76	58.21	2.03
2024-02	38	59.9	2.11
2024-03	37.8	60.01	2.2
2024-04	38.41	59.57	2.02
2024-05	37.85	60.08	2.07
2024-06	37.1	60.74	2.17
2024-07	36.1	61.74	2.16
2024-08	35.72	62.15	2.13
2024-09	36.36	61.66	1.98
2024-10	36.56	61.59	1.85
2024-11	35.2	62.96	1.84
2024-12	35.07	63.07	1.86
2025-01	35.43	62.69	1.88
2025-02	35.91	62.23	1.85
2025-03	36.06	62.21	1.72
2025-04	36.3	62.01	1.7
2025-05	35.28	63.07	1.65
2025-06	35.24	63.13	1.63
2025-07	40.07	58.36	1.57

Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools.

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by Asim BN via Digital Information World

Google Fixes Flaw That Let Hackers Control AI Assistant Through Calendar Invites

Google has patched a security vulnerability that allowed hackers to remotely hijack its Gemini AI assistant by sending malicious calendar invitations to victims.

The flaw enabled attackers to access emails, control smart home devices and track user locations without requiring any interaction from victims beyond normal use of the assistant.

Researchers at SafeBreach Labs discovered the vulnerability works by embedding harmful commands in Google Calendar event titles. When users ask Gemini about their schedule, the assistant processes these hidden instructions as legitimate requests.

The bug affected all versions of Gemini, including web browsers, mobile applications and Android voice assistants connected to Google Workspace. Hackers could exploit the AI's permissions to access Gmail, Calendar and connected home devices.

Google says no exploitation occurred before the company implemented fixes.

Attack required basic skills

The vulnerability bypassed existing security measures and required no advanced technical knowledge. Researchers demonstrated successful attacks using standard calendar features available to any Google user.

Attackers could send up to six calendar invitations to maintain stealth, hiding malicious commands in the final invitation. Google Calendar displays only five recent events directly, concealing additional entries behind a "Show more" button that Gemini still processes during queries.

The attack method exploited "context poisoning," where hidden commands become part of Gemini's conversation history. This causes the AI to follow hostile instructions while users remain unaware of any compromise.

SafeBreach researchers demonstrated multiple attack capabilities during their investigation. These included triggering spam campaigns, generating inappropriate content and remotely deleting victim calendar entries.

More serious capabilities involved controlling smart home devices through Google Home integration. Researchers successfully opened windows, adjusted heating systems and controlled lighting by exploiting the assistant's connections to internet-enabled devices.

Privacy and security risks

The vulnerability enabled location tracking through forced website visits that captured victim IP addresses. Attackers could also initiate unauthorized video calls, potentially enabling surveillance through device cameras and microphones.

Data theft represented a significant risk. The flaw allowed extraction of email content and calendar information through specially crafted web addresses that transmitted sensitive data to attacker-controlled servers.

Mobile versions faced additional exposure due to Gemini's integration with Android system functions. This connection allowed manipulation of phone features including application launches, screenshot capture and media controls.

Researchers bypassed URL security restrictions using redirect services that forced Chrome to open malicious websites. This worked because Gemini automatically followed redirects without displaying security warnings normally shown in browser sessions.

The attack also supported "delayed execution" where malicious instructions activated during future user interactions. This persistence allowed attackers to maintain access across multiple Gemini sessions.

High risk rating

The research team developed a threat analysis framework specifically for AI-powered applications. Their evaluation assessed attack feasibility, required expertise and potential damage across privacy, financial, safety and operational categories.

Results classified 73% of identified threats as high or critical risk, requiring immediate remediation. The assessment found these attacks require significantly less technical skill than traditional cyber threats while potentially causing greater harm.

The vulnerability demonstrated movement between different Gemini functions and extension beyond application boundaries to manipulate external systems outside Google's direct control.

Google addressed the reported vulnerabilities before any documented exploitation occurred. The company implemented enhanced user confirmation requirements for sensitive actions and improved web address handling with validation protocols.

Advanced detection systems now employ content analysis algorithms to identify malicious instructions. These protections underwent extensive internal testing before deployment to all Gemini users.

Andy Wen, senior director of security product management for Google Workspace, acknowledged the researchers' responsible disclosure approach and said it accelerated deployment of new protective measures.

Wider implications

The discovery highlights security challenges facing artificial intelligence integration across digital services. Traditional cybersecurity approaches targeting software bugs may prove insufficient for AI-integrated systems.

Security specialists anticipate shifts in application attack methods as AI adoption increases. These new threats target reasoning processes rather than code vulnerabilities, representing a fundamental change in attack methodology.

User trust in AI assistants compounds the security risk since people typically accept system recommendations without questioning potential external manipulation.

SafeBreach researchers Or Yair, Ben Nassi and Stav Cohen notified Google in February 2025 following responsible disclosure procedures. The team provided detailed technical documentation and collaborated during the remediation process.

The findings were presented at Black Hat USA and DEF CON 33 security conferences. Complete research documentation enables organizations to assess similar risks in their AI-powered systems.

Future threats may include attacks requiring no user interaction and methods targeting multiple users simultaneously through public platforms.

Read next: Man Develops Rare Bromide Poisoning After Following AI Diet Suggestion

by Asim BN via Digital Information World

Man Develops Rare Bromide Poisoning After Following AI Diet Suggestion

A 60-year-old man was hospitalized with a rare condition linked to bromide toxicity after acting on advice from an artificial intelligence chatbot. The case was described in the Annals of Internal Medicine: Clinical Cases and shows how online information can influence unusual health outcomes.

The patient, who had no prior psychiatric history, decided to remove sodium chloride from his diet after reading about its health effects. He found information about reducing salt intake but little about removing it entirely. Drawing on nutrition courses he had taken years earlier, he replaced table salt with sodium bromide bought online. The decision followed a chatbot exchange that suggested bromide as an alternative, a substance generally used in industrial or cleaning applications rather than food.

For three months, he maintained this substitution while following a highly restrictive vegetarian diet and distilling his own drinking water. Over time, he developed fatigue, insomnia, increased thirst, movement imbalance, and skin changes such as acne and small red growths. He also began to suspect that his neighbor was poisoning him.

When he arrived at the emergency department, his vital signs and neurological examination were normal. Blood tests, however, showed unusually high chloride levels, a negative anion gap, low phosphate, and signs of both respiratory acidosis and metabolic alkalosis. Poison Control staff considered bromism the most likely cause.

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Bromism was common in the early 20th century when bromide salts were used in sedatives and other over-the-counter products. Its incidence declined after U.S. regulators banned such uses between the 1970s and late 1980s. In this case, the man’s bromide level measured more than 200 times the upper limit of normal.

Within the first day of his admission, he developed hallucinations and worsening paranoia, leading to an involuntary psychiatric hold. He was treated with antipsychotic medication, intravenous fluids, and electrolyte replacement. He also received vitamins to address deficiencies from his restrictive diet.

His condition improved gradually during a three-week hospital stay. Blood chemistry returned to normal and psychiatric symptoms resolved. He was discharged without medication and remained stable at follow-up.

The report’s authors noted that bromide-containing products remain available through online sellers. They advised that unusual electrolyte results, especially high chloride with a negative anion gap, should prompt clinicians to consider bromism in patients with unexplained psychiatric or neurological symptoms.

Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools. Image: DIW-Aigen.

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• YouTube CPM Rates in 2025: How Location Shapes Earnings
by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World

YouTube CPM Rates in 2025: How Location Shapes Earnings

YouTube advertising payouts in 2025 look very different depending on where viewers are watching. Median CPM (cost per mille, or cost per thousand impressions) figures from 50 countries put the global midpoint at $2.91 per thousand ad views. The United States comes in at $11.95, the highest in the dataset. Pakistan is at the other end of the scale with $0.42. Geography still plays a big part in deciding what a creator can make from their audience.

Where the Highest and Lowest Rates Fall

Top earnings are concentrated in North America, Western Europe, and parts of Oceania. The United States sits in first place. Australia follows at $8.93, then Norway at $8.19. Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Denmark each post more than $7.00, suggesting strong advertiser competition in those markets.

Several Asian and African countries remain well below the global average. Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Egypt all report less than $0.55. India, Vietnam, and Indonesia stay under $1.00. These figures reflect smaller ad budgets, lower spending power, and frequent use of ad blockers.

Latin America and Eastern Europe are more mixed. Mexico and Brazil record between $1.30 and $1.64. Poland and Czechia are near the midpoint. Romania, Croatia, and Bulgaria fall in the $1.75 to $1.94 range, showing steady but limited advertiser activity.

Country Name	CPM median (USD)
United States of America	$11.95
Australia	$8.93
Norway	$8.19
Switzerland	$8.02
United Kingdom	$7.60
Denmark	$7.43
New Zealand	$6.72
Canada	$6.65
Belgium	$6.52
Netherlands	$6.44
Germany	$6.43
Sweden	$6.30
Austria	$4.95
Finland	$4.77
France	$4.54
Ireland	$4.29
Singapore	$3.62
Italy	$3.59
Japan	$3.41
Hong Kong	$3.31
Czechia	$3.20
Spain	$3.14
United Arab Emirates	$3.03
Poland	$2.94
Israel	$2.91
Republic of Korea	$2.91
Portugal	$2.78
Greece	$2.33
Saudi Arabia	$2.18
Hungary	$2.10
NaN	$2.08
Croatia	$1.94
Romania	$1.94
Bulgaria	$1.75
South Africa	$1.69
Mexico	$1.64
Brazil	$1.33
Malaysia	$1.31
Serbia	$1.28
Philippines	$1.22
Thailand	$1.22
India	$0.96
Turkey	$0.87
Indonesia	$0.87
Vietnam	$0.82
Sri Lanka	$0.63
Nepal	$0.58
Egypt	$0.53
Bangladesh	$0.52
Pakistan	$0.42

How the Numbers Were Collected

The data, complied by IsThisChannelMonetized, comes from YouTube analytics on videos uploaded during 2024. Countries with fewer than 1,000 views were left out. Any entries showing no revenue or no views were removed. Median values were used to avoid skew from unusual spikes or drops, giving a more stable picture of the market.

CPM and RPM in Brief

CPM means the cost advertisers pay for every 1,000 ad impressions. RPM is what the creator actually earns for the same number of views after YouTube’s 45 percent cut. CPM will always be higher. Both figures depend on who’s watching, where they’re located, the topic of the content, and how many advertisers are bidding in that niche.

Rates by Content Type

The subject of a video can have as much impact on income as the viewer’s location. Based on USD estimates:

• Shorts: $0.02 to $0.15 CPM
• Entertainment and lifestyle: $1.36 to $1.82 CPM, RPM under $1.00
• Gaming: $4.55 CPM, $2.50 RPM
• Education: $9.09 CPM, $5.00 RPM
• Finance and digital marketing: $14.55 to $36.36 CPM, with higher RPMs

Why Some Views Earn Nothing

Not all views lead to revenue. Ads might be blocked, rights holders could claim the income, or YouTube may run ads without sharing earnings if a channel is outside the Partner Program.

Ways to Lift RPM

Creators can’t control every factor, but they can:

• Make videos longer than eight minutes to allow mid-roll ads
• Target audiences in countries with stronger CPM rates
• Focus on topics that attract high-value advertisers
• Keep viewers watching for longer periods

The Takeaway

The 2025 CPM rankings show a widening gap between mature ad markets and emerging economies. Where an audience lives and the kind of content produced remain the biggest drivers of revenue. Growth depends on consistent quality and keeping viewers engaged over time.

Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools.

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Office, Retail, and Support Jobs Projected to Shrink by 2030

Employer forecasts point to a sharp drop in demand for a wide range of traditional roles over the next five years, with clerical positions expected to see the largest cuts.

The figures come from a global survey of more than a thousand companies employing over 14 million people, compiled in the World Economic Forum’s latest jobs report. It ranks the occupations most likely to lose ground between 2025 and 2030.

Postal clerks face the steepest decline, with projections showing a fall of around 40 percent. Bank tellers follow closely with a 35 percent drop, while data entry specialists are expected to contract by roughly a third. These jobs rely heavily on repetitive processing tasks, which employers are increasingly assigning to automated systems.

Retail and administrative work is also under strain. Cashiers, ticket clerks, and administrative assistants all feature high on the list, with estimated declines ranging from about 28 to 30 percent. Bookkeeping and payroll clerks, along with material-recording staff such as stock keepers, could see reductions of more than one-fifth. Transportation attendants and conductors appear just behind them with a 21 percent forecast fall.

Some occupations tied to customer outreach and sales are also projected to shrink. Door-to-door sellers, street vendors, and similar roles are expected to drop by about 20 percent. Graphic designers sit at the same level, while claims adjusters, legal officials, and legal secretaries are each predicted to see losses between 17 and 19 percent. Telemarketing is projected to fall by around 16 percent.

Technology is a driving force behind many of these changes, though real-world results have not always matched early promises. Some systems promoted as fully automated have required significant human oversight to work reliably, and certain AI-driven services have been scaled back when they failed to handle practical challenges. Even so, most employers in the survey anticipate steady advances in automation, pushing them to reshape their staffing plans.

The report suggests that by 2030, workplaces will be more dependent on technology for routine operations, while human staff will be concentrated in areas where adaptability, problem-solving, and complex interaction are essential.

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Palestinians in Gaza Struggle to Keep Fundraising Accounts Alive on Bluesky

Palestinians in Gaza who depend on online fundraising to get food, medicine, or other essentials are finding it harder to keep their accounts active. Bluesky, a social media platform that many use to reach potential donors, has been removing profiles linked to these campaigns within days of their creation. For people relying on the money to meet daily needs, losing an account means starting over almost immediately.

Some have opened dozens of profiles over a few months. Each time one is taken down, they rebuild from scratch, trying to reconnect with supporters who might have seen their earlier posts. That often means following large numbers of people in a short period or tagging past contacts in new posts, which makes the accounts look automated to Bluesky’s systems and increases the risk of another removal, as spotted by TheGuardian.

Grassroots Checks on Genuine Campaigns

In May last year, a volunteer based in Germany began informally confirming that certain Gaza-based fundraisers were real. The process started after she helped a contact raise money successfully and then began hearing from others in similar situations. Over time she kept a list of verified accounts, each allowed to use a small badge in their profile and posts to signal that someone had checked their identity.

Her vetting can involve a video call, a referral from someone she already trusts, or documents proving the person’s location and circumstances. While this reassurance helps donors feel more confident, it does not stop Bluesky’s automated filters from removing accounts. Many people still wait weeks for verification, and not everyone is approved.

Daily Costs and Scarce Supplies

The need for these campaigns is immediate. Aid groups say food shortages in Gaza have reached extreme levels, with families unable to secure even basic items. When flour, milk, or diapers are available, prices are far higher than before the blockade. A single day’s donations can make the difference between someone eating or going hungry.

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Because payment processors do not operate in Gaza, fundraisers must rely on intermediaries abroad to run the campaigns and send the money. This requires complete trust in strangers, and some have lost significant amounts when a campaign host withheld part of the funds.

Pressure for Platform Changes

Similar verification groups exist on other platforms such as Instagram, X, and Tumblr. Yet even with confirmation from these networks, Bluesky’s systems often flag genuine campaigns as spam. More than 7,000 users have signed open letters urging the company to adjust its moderation rules for fundraising accounts linked to Gaza.

Bluesky has said it wants users in Gaza to be heard while following its guidelines. Those working with fundraisers report that appeals against account closures rarely get responses, and many profiles vanish within a few days of being set up. For people trying to raise enough to buy food for tomorrow, the loss of an account is not only a technical setback but also a break in the fragile connection to donors who might keep them alive.

Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools. Image: DIW-Aigen.

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• Data Shows Where Americans Spend the Most Time Connected
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Data Shows Where Americans Spend the Most Time Connected

A new set of figures comparing internet access and online habits has placed Utah in first place nationally, showing the state ahead on several measures of connectivity. The results come from an analysis of federal and search engine data that ranked all fifty states according to their access to high-speed internet and the volume of social media activity from their residents.

Researchers drew on information from the Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. Census Bureau, and Google’s search statistics, combining the findings into a score out of ten. They measured the proportion of households with broadband connections, the share that could use gigabit-level speeds, and how often people searched for social media platforms online, adjusting the search numbers for population size.

Utah’s Numbers

Utah’s final score was 8.7. Almost 93 percent of households there have broadband access, and more than 72 percent are connected to gigabit internet. Search behaviour also pushed its ranking higher, with nearly 119,000 social media-related queries for every 100,000 residents in a typical month.

Who Followed

New Hampshire came in second on the list, with an 8.3 score, while Connecticut and Washington tied for third at 8.2 each. Washington stood out for having the country’s highest broadband subscription rate at 93 percent, while Connecticut led in gigabit coverage at just over 81 percent. Maryland ranked fifth with 8.1, and Oregon followed closely at 8.0. Oregon also claimed the highest search rate in the nation at more than 130,000 social media queries per 100,000 people each month.

Colorado earned 7.8 and shared seventh position with Nevada and Massachusetts, the latter showing search numbers above 126,000 per 100,000 residents. New Jersey was next at 7.6, California scored 7.5, and Georgia rounded out the top ten with 7.3.

Strong Metrics, Lower Rankings

Some states performed well in one measure but not across the board. North Dakota, for example, recorded the highest proportion of gigabit connections in the U.S., almost 85 percent, yet its overall score was 19th due to lower online search activity. Kentucky, with gigabit in 73 percent of homes, still ranked 36th overall.

The Other End of the Scale

Mississippi sat at the bottom of the list with a score of 2.2. Broadband subscriptions there reach only 81.9 percent of households, and search activity for social media platforms is the lowest recorded, at about 81,500 monthly queries per 100,000 people. West Virginia followed with 2.6, Louisiana scored 3.2, and both New Mexico and Alaska came in at 3.4. Alaska’s result reflects limited high-speed availability, with gigabit connections in fewer than eight percent of households.

What the Data Shows

The gap between the most and least connected states is wide. Places with stronger infrastructure tend to see higher use of social media, while those with slower or less reliable access show lower engagement. The figures suggest that where high-speed connections are common, online activity becomes a more regular part of daily life.

H/T: Flipsnack.

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by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World