When the Olympics came to Sydney in 2000 we were invited to the hospitality tent for the Sydney Morning Herald (our local newspaper). Chatting to a journalist about using the internet, he asked us. “Have you heard of this thing called Google?” 25 years.
For many readers in high-income countries, the Internet might no longer feel revolutionary. But back in 1997, only 2% of the world's population used the Internet. By 2019, that number had risen to over 50%; today, two-thirds of the global population is online.
First, much of the potential progress enabled by the Internet is still unfolding, from expanding educational opportunities through free online resources to reducing the cost of sending money home for migrants.
Second, it’s good to remember that in 2023, a third of people still didn’t use the Internet. Accelerating connectivity could give these individuals greater freedom and access to new opportunities.
The United Nations aims to get more than 90% of people online by 2030. Some regions are still far from universal access, with just 43% of South Asia and 37% of Sub-Saharan Africa connected.
(This Data Insight was written by @simonvanteutem.bsky.social.)
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(This Data Insight was written by @simonvanteutem.bsky.social.)