In 2022, South Africans spent at least 9.5 hours per day online. According to a study, this was the highest in the world, exceeding the global figure by around three hours.
According to a report released by Delaware-based virtual private network (VPN) platform Atlas VPN, the average person spent six hours and 37 minutes per day browsing the internet in 2022. It drew its conclusions using data from social media research firm We Are Social and social media intelligence platform Meltwater. The data set included users aged 16 to 64 from 46 countries.
According to World Bank data, up to 70% of South Africans had access to the internet in 2020. Given the increasing penetration of the internet not only in the country but also across the African continent, the figure could be higher now.
South Africa is expected to have 43.48 million internet users in 2023, out of a total population of 60.14 million, for a penetration rate of 72.3%. The government of South Africa intends to provide internet access to all South African homes by 2024.
South Africa was followed in terms of internet addiction by Brazil (9 hours and 32 minutes), the Philippines (9 hours and 14 minutes), Argentina, and Colombia (tied at 9 hours and 1 minute).
“People in the United States also spend an above-average amount of time online, dedicating 419 minutes (6 hours and 59 minutes) daily to internet browsing—same as people living in Singapore,” the report said.