Digital FootPrint Statistics By Internet Usage, Age Group, Website Traffic, Social Media Headlines and Facts
Maitrayee Dey
Updated · Oct 07, 2024
WHAT WE HAVE ON THIS PAGE
- Introduction
- Editor’s Choice
- General Digital Footprint Statistics
- What is a Digital Footprint?
- Types Of Digital Footprints
- Digital Footprint Statistics By Internet Usage
- Digital Carbon Footprint Statistics
- The Impacts Of Social Media On The Environment
- Digital Footprint Statistics By Region
- Daily Time Spent Online By Users Statistics By Country
- Digital Footprint Statistics By Age Group
- How To Manage Digital Footprints?
- Common Ways To Collect Digital Footprints Statistics
- Top Reasons For Using The Internet
- Most Popularly Used Apps
- Digital Footprints Statistics By Social Media Headlines
- Social Media Add Audience Statistics, July 2024
- Advertising Spending Statistics By Total vs Digital
- Digital Footprint Website Traffic Statistics
- Top Strategies To Reduce Digital Footprints
- Steps Taken To Protect Digital Information Statistics In 2024
- Conclusion
Introduction
Digital Footprint Statistics: A digital footprint is the trail of information people leave behind when using the internet. It includes everything from social media posts to online searches, websites visited, and emails sent. Some of this data is shared intentionally, like posting on Facebook, while other parts are collected automatically, like tracking cookies from websites.
A digital footprint can be active, meaning data is shared by choice, or passive, meaning it is collected without you realizing it. It’s important to manage your digital footprint because it can affect your privacy, reputation, and even job opportunities in the future. Understanding it helps you stay safe online.
Editor’s Choice
- Digital Footprint Statistics show that by 2024, about 5.3 billion people will use the internet, which is around 66% of the world’s population.
- Due to increased internet use, social media, and smart devices, 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are generated every day.
- In 2024, 91% of adults who use the internet create some online data, such as browsing websites, using social media, or shopping.
- In the same year, people used smartphones and tablets more than computers, making up 54.8% of all web traffic worldwide.
- More people worry about privacy, as 76% of social media users are concerned about how companies and governments use their online data.
- Many companies track online user activities and data to improve their marketing and create personalized experiences, with 60% doing this worldwide.
- Each person using the internet creates about 1.7 MB of data every second through activities such as using social media, browsing, and more.
- Digital Footprint Statistics further state that around 70% of data from digital footprints, such as emails, social media posts, videos, and other types of information without categories, need to be more organized.
- Social media adds a lot to online data, with more than 3 billion photos shared daily on Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat.
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General Digital Footprint Statistics
(Source: images.squarespace-cdn.com)
- In July 2024, the total digital population was around 8.12 billion, which is 57.9% of urbanization.
- In addition, 5.68 billion unique mobile phone subscribers were created, which is almost 70% of the global population.
(Reference: statista.com)
- In July 2024, more than 5.45 billion people used the internet, making up 67.1% of the world’s population.
- On the other hand, around 5.17 billion social media users were active at the same time, holding a share of 63.7%.
- E-commerce is a significant contributor to digital footprints and is expected to exceed USD 6.3 trillion by the end of 2024.
- Over 85% of global internet users interact with at least one Google service, such as Search, Gmail, or YouTube.
- Around 71% of people who share personal information online are still expressing their concerns.
- A report published by IDC states that the total amount of data worldwide will grow to an enormous 175 zettabytes.
- A 2023 Pew Research study showed that 78% of Americans who use the internet shared their personal information online during the past year.
- A report by Ghostery in 2023 found that most websites have around 32 trackers that collect data about users’ online browsing habits.
- By 2024, nearly 75% of new internet users will come from regions such as Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
(Source: palowise.ai)
- In the first quarter of 2024, almost 86% of Americans made effective efforts to hide their digital footprints.
- More than 90% of consumers use online platforms to find businesses.
- With 58.4% of internet users shopping online every week, people are connecting with brands more often.
What is a Digital Footprint?
A digital footprint is the trail of information you leave behind when you use the internet. This includes things like the websites you visit, posts you share, or even the online shopping you do. In 2024, managing your digital footprint is more important because personal data is shared more than ever. For example, over 60% of internet users worry about how companies handle their data. Each time you click, search, or post, your digital footprint grows. This can affect your privacy and security if not managed properly.
Types Of Digital Footprints
(Source: googleusercontent.com)
Active Digital Footprint
- Posting on social media like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter increases your digital footprint. There will be 4.89 billion users worldwide in 2024.
- More than 90% of social media users actively contribute to their digital footprint by sharing personal data like photos, videos, and location updates.
- During online shopping, your details are stored and accounted for around 2.14 billion online shoppers in 2024.
Passive Digital Footprint
- Digital Footprint Statistics show that more than 70% of websites use cookies to quietly collect data from users without them knowing.
- Websites track the online activity of 95% of internet users in different ways, creating a passive digital footprint.
- By 2024, around 5.47 billion people will use the internet, leading to huge amounts of data collected daily.
- Each person creates about 1.7 MB of data every second online, adding to their passive digital footprint.
Digital Footprint Statistics By Internet Usage
(Source: images.squarespace-cdn.com)
- In July 2024, more than 5.45 billion people used the internet, making up 3.2% of year-over-year.
- Meanwhile, in 2023, the total number of internet users resulted in 5.28 billion (+2.8%).
The table below elaborates on the devices accessed by the internet users (aged above 16 years) in 2024:
| Decives | User Share |
| Any mobile Phone | 95.9% |
| Smartphone | 93.7% |
| Any Laptop or Desktop | 62.2% |
| Personal Laptop or Desktop | 54.0% |
| Connected Television | 31.5% |
| Work on a Laptop or Desktop | 27.7% |
| Tablet Device | 27.6% |
| Smart Home Device | 18.1% |
| Games Console | 11.5% |
| Feature Phone | 4.5% |
| Virtual Reality Device | 4.4% |
Digital Carbon Footprint Statistics
- In 2024, the internet caused around 3.7% of global CO₂ emissions, which is about the same as the airline industry.
- Data centres, which run the internet, use over 200 TWh of electricity yearly, making them a big part of the digital carbon footprint.
- Video streaming, like Netflix and YouTube, creates over 1% of the world’s CO2 emissions, contributing to environmental pollution from media services.
- Watching high-definition video online for one hour can produce up to 55 grams of CO2, which shows the environmental impact of streaming services.
- Digital Footprint Statistics also reports that Cloud computing energy use is expected to increase by 30% in 2024 as more companies use cloud services.
- Social media activity, including images and videos, causes about 20 megatons of CO2 emissions each year worldwide.
- Sending and receiving emails, especially with big attachments, creates around 62 trillion grams of CO2 emissions altogether.
- One Google search creates about 0.2 grams of CO2. With 8.5 billion searches daily, this adds up quickly.
- Global ICT (Information and Communication Technology) emissions could reach 8% of total global emissions by the year 2025.
- Eco-friendly data centres use 50% less energy, helping to save power and protect the environment efficiently.
The Impacts Of Social Media On The Environment
- As mentioned in Digital Footprint Statistics, sending emails online creates as much CO2 as having 7 million cars driving on the road.
- For each minute an active user spends, TikTok produces 2.63 grams of CO2, Reddit makes 2.48 grams, Pinterest creates 1.30 grams, Instagram 1.05 grams, Snapchat 0.87 grams, Facebook 0.79 grams, LinkedIn 0.71 grams, Twitter 0.60 grams, Twitch 0.55 grams, and YouTube 0.46 grams.
Digital Footprint Statistics By Region
Asia
- A report from DataReportal on Digital Footprint Statistics says that by 2024, more than 53% of people in Asia will have access to the internet.
- In this nation, more than 70% of mobile phone connections were available on mobile broadband in February.
Australia
- A January 2024 report by Statista says Australia’s internet users will grow by 1.2 million (+4.59%) by 2029.
- Australia’s report shows that 20.8 million Australians (78.3% of people) use social media actively.
Europe
- A February 2024 report from Eurostat says more than 90% of homes in Europe have internet access.
- The European online shopping market is expected to be worth EUR 931 billion by the end of the year.
- A report by Kepios says 77% of people in Europe use social media platforms regularly.
- Digital Footprint Statistics further show that 72% of people in Europe worry about how businesses handle the personal information they share online.
United States Of America
- Statista reports that as of February 2024, about 98% of people in the US can access the internet.
- As of January of this year, around 63.5% of people worldwide mainly use mobile devices to access the internet.
- 78% of people in the United States use social media platforms to connect, share, and interact online.
Daily Time Spent Online By Users Statistics By Country
(Reference: statista.com)
- In the first quarter of 2024, South Africa leads globally in internet usage, with users spending over 9 hours and 27 minutes online daily, followed by Brazil (9 hours and 8 minutes) and the Philippines (9 hours).
- Furthermore, in the same quarter, the daily time spent (in hours. minutes) online by other countries’ wiser users is stated as Argentina (8.34), Russia (8.32), Colombia (8.25), Malaysia (8.24), Chile (8.16), Egypt (8.02), Portugal (7.4), Mexico (7.34), Israel (7.29), Bulgaria (7.25), Indonesia (7.23), Taiwan (7.16), Turkey (6.55), Saudi Arabia (6.45), India (6.43), Croatia (6.38), Worldwide (6.31), United States (6.31), Singapore (6.3), Romania (6.27), Hungary (6.21), Ireland (6.17), Czechia (6.16), New Zealand (6.14), Vietnam (6.09), Australia (6.08), Poland (6.07), Sweden (6.05), Canada (6.05), Norway (5.44), Netherlands (5.42), Spain (5.4), Italy (5.39), Greece (5.36), South Korea (5.34), United Kingdom (5.31), Belgium (5.3), Germany (5.27), Austria (5.26), Hong Kong (5.24), China (5.22), France (5.17), Denmark (5.04) and Japan (3.57).
Digital Footprint Statistics By Age Group
(Reference: statista.com)
- The average daily time spent using the internet by online users worldwide in 2024 will be secured by 16 to 24-year-old users, with female users accounting for 7 hours and 36 minutes and males (7 hours and 1 minute).
The table below shows the average daily time spent using the internet by online users globally by age and gender:
| Age Group (years) | Male (in hours. minutes) | Female (in hours. minutes) |
| 25 to 35 | 7.02 | 7.05 |
| 35 to 44 | 6.38 | 6.32 |
| 45 to 54 | 6.08 | 6.11 |
| 55 to 64 | 5.22 | 5.14 |
How To Manage Digital Footprints?
In 2024, it’s more important than ever to control your online information. As people spend more time online, there’s a growing risk of personal data being tracked, shared, or misused.
Some of those tips are stated below:
- Review Privacy Settings Regularly
- Use Strong, Unique Passwords
- Limit Social Media Exposure
- Monitor Your Digital Trail
- Be Cautious with Online Purchases
- Regularly Clear Browsing Data
- Utilise VPNs (Virtual Private Networks)
- Regular Software Updates
- Think Before Clicking
- Use Encrypted Messaging Apps
- Opt-Out of Data Collection
Common Ways To Collect Digital Footprints Statistics
- Around 41% of all websites use cookies to track user behavior in 2024.
- Social media platforms contribute to 2.5 quintillion bytes of data generated daily.
- 89% of mobile apps collect data from users, contributing to digital footprints.
- E-commerce data grew by 35% in 2024 as online shopping became more popular.
- Digital Footprint Statistics elaborates that Google processes over 9 billion searches per day in 2024.
- Email tracking contributes to 57% of digital marketing strategies.
- By 2024, there will be 35.82 billion IoT devices globally, a significant source of data.
Top Reasons For Using The Internet
(Reference: statista.com)
- In the first quarter of 2024, 62.4% of users used the internet to search for information.
- Furthermore, other internet-using reasons are stated as staying in touch (59.6%), staying up to date (54%), watching shows and videos (53.3%), research purposes (50.6%), finding ideas or inspiration (46.8%), listening to music (45.8%), searching for products and brands (45%), spare time usage (43.8%), researching for vacations and places (38.3%), education (38.1%), managing savings and finances (35.3%), Gaming (29.7%) and business research (29.6%).
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Most Popularly Used Apps
(Reference: api.backlinko.com)
- Digital Footprint Statistics show that in the second quarter of 2024, Instagram had the highest number of downloads worldwide, reaching 182.8 million across both Google Play and the App Store.
- The total number of downloads by other apps is Facebook (146 million), TikTok (117.7 million), WhatsApp Messenger (113.9 million), Telegram (85.1 million), Temu (79.6 million), CapCut (73.8 million), Messenger (69.4 million), WhatsApp Business (57 million) and Spotify (50.02 million).
Digital Footprints Statistics By Social Media Headlines
- Social media use keeps growing, with 5.17 billion active user accounts by July 2024.
- This represents that 63.7% of the world’s population uses social media, and it shows that 94.9% of all internet users are on social media every month.
- The number of active social media users worldwide has grown by 5.8% over the past year.
- On average, people use or visit 6.7 different social platforms monthly.
- Between July 2023 and July 2024, 282 million new users joined social media, an average of over 770,000 new users signing up every day.
- Social media has gained an average of 8.9 new users every second over the past year.
- As per Digital Footprints Statistics, over 86% of adults aged 18+ use social media monthly, so future user growth will likely be slower.
- According to GWI, people around the world spend an average of 2 hours and 20 minutes daily on social media.
- People around the world spend about 500 million years on social media every year.
Social Media Add Audience Statistics, July 2024
(Source: images.squarespace-cdn.com)
- YouTube captured the highest potential advertising ad audiences, resulting in 2.50 billion, followed by Facebook ads (2.24 billion) in July 2024.
- In the same period, Instagram ads now reach 1.68 billion adults, while TikTok ads reach 1.60 billion people in the same age group.
- Furthermore, other social media channels for advertising audiences are LinkedIn (1.10 billion), Facebook Messenger (977 million), Snapchat (711 million), Twitter (586 million), Pinterest (322 million) and Reddit (250 million), Pinterest (322 million) and Reddit (250 million).
Advertising Spending Statistics By Total vs Digital
(Source: images.squarespace-cdn.com)
- By the second quarter of 2024, total ad spending accounted for around USD 1.03 trillion, an increase of 7.3% year over year.
- Moreover, digital ad spending turned out to be USD 719.2 billion (YoY +10.6%).
By Mobile Connectivity
(Source: images.squarespace-cdn.com)
- Digital Footprint Statistics in July 2024 further state that, based on recent GSMA Intelligence data, there are 5.68 billion unique mobile phone users globally.
- The mobile adoption rate among adults is much higher than the overall 70%.
- Around 8.8 billion connections, while Ericsson estimates 8.6 billion connections.
- The number of unique mobile users worldwide increased by 126 million in the last year.
(Source: images.squarespace-cdn.com)
- As mentioned in Ericsson’s latest data, there are 7.1 billion smartphone connections, which make up about 87% of all mobile phones globally.
- The number of smartphones is increasing by 2.5% yearly, with 177 million added in the last 12 months.
- Nearly 93.7% of people now use a smartphone to access the internet.
(Source: images.squarespace-cdn.com)
- Digital Footprint Statistics reports that in July 2024, around 82.4% share of connections (7.1 billion connections) were associated with smartphones.
- On the other hand, 14.3% of the share, accounting for 1.2 billion connections, is associated with feature phones.
- Almost 289 million connections (3.4% of connections) are associated with routers, tables, and mobile.
By Essential Ecommerce Statistics
- Digital Footprint Statistics elaborates that above 5.35 billion internet users contribute significantly to digital footprints.
- In 2024, eCommerce is expected to account for 22% of all retail sales globally, which amounts to around USD 7 trillion in eCommerce sales.
- As of 2024, over 4.89 billion people actively use social media platforms, with each user contributing significantly to their digital footprint through likes, shares, comments, and posts.
(Source: images.squarespace-cdn.com)
- In July 2024, almost 54.5% of internet users aged 16 and older shopped online weekly.
- In addition, 26.5% of groceries are ordered via an online store, and 10.9% buy a secondhand item via the same.
- Almost 20.3% of online shoppers used an online price comparison service.
- Digital Footprint Statistics show that 15.5% of them used a buy now and pay later service by the Q2 of 2024.
Digital Footprint Website Traffic Statistics
(Source: similarweb.com)
- As of August 2024, the total number of website visits to digitalfootprintcheck.com had reached 40.2 thousand, up by 12.3% from last month and securing a 36.87% bounce rate.
- In the past three months, digitalfootprintcheck.com’s global ranking improved from 1,049,081 to 704,541, showing a significant rise in its position.
- Digital Footprint Statistics further show that digitalfootprintcheck.com’s desktop traffic went up by 44.22% this month compared to the previous month.
By Country
(Source: similarweb.com)
- Digital Footprint Statistics 2024: The United States had 35.52% of the website’s total traffic, which has increased by 54.17%.
- During the same duration, other countries recorded the following contribution in total traffic: Sweden: 20.97% (+1811%), the United Kingdom: 9.07% (36.91%), Australia: 8.24% (+356.6%) and Mexico: 6.17% (+443%).
- Other countries togetherly made up around 20.04% of visitors shared on digitalfootprintcheck.com.
By Demographics
(Reference: similarweb.com)
- In August 2024, male and female users of digitalfootprintcheck.com were 65.33% and 34.67%, respectively.
- Similarly, Digital Footprint Statistics by age group states that the highest number of website users observed is between 18 and 24 years old, which is 30.24%.
- 22.8% of Digital Footprint website users are aged 25 to 34 years.
- In contrast, 17.68% and 12.61% belong to individuals aged 35 to 44 and 45 to 54, respectively.
- Around 9.93% of website users are aged from 55 to 64 years.
- 65-year-old users and those above age contributed 9.85% of user shares of digitalfootprintcheck.com.
By Traffic Source
(Reference: similarweb.com)
- Digital Footprint Statistics 2024 also shows that organic search generated the highest traffic rate to digitalfootprintcheck.com, accounting for 49.76%.
- Almost 36.44% of the share comprises direct traffic searches, while 7.17% is from referrals.
- Others are followed by social media (5.74%), mail (0.05%), and display (0.79%).
Top Strategies To Reduce Digital Footprints
(Reference: enterpriseappstoday.com)
- Among internet users, 64% regularly clear their cookies and browser history.
- Additionally, 41% of each delete old posts and turn off cookies.
- Another 36% avoid visiting websites that request personal details like their real name.
Steps Taken To Protect Digital Information Statistics In 2024
- Digital Footprint Statistics states that 78% of internet users globally now utilize two-factor authentication (2FA) for at least one of their online accounts in 2024.
- Among businesses, 85% have implemented 2FA for employee accounts as part of their cybersecurity protocols.
- Around 56% of organizations are using end-to-end encryption for all sensitive data communications.
- Over 70% of mobile apps used for eCommerce and banking offer encrypted connections by default to protect user data during transactions.
- 92% of businesses perform regular backups of their critical data, with 75% using cloud-based solutions to ensure redundancy and security.
- Among individuals, 54% back up their data on external drives or cloud platforms at least once a month.
- 42% of internet users now use password management software to store and create complex passwords securely.
- Large organizations have mandated the use of password managers for 65% of their workforce to combat weak password use.
- Digital Footprint Statistics in 2024 reported that nearly 39% of internet users regularly use VPNs to secure their internet connections and protect their personal information from hackers and surveillance.
- Similarly, 62% of companies now require employees working remotely to connect via VPNs to protect corporate data.
- 71% of companies provide annual cybersecurity training for their employees, ensuring that staff are aware of the latest threats, such as phishing, ransomware, and malware.
- 62% of companies worldwide have implemented multi-factor authentication (MFA) for sensitive business accounts.
- Around 47% of businesses now have data breach insurance in place, offering protection in the event of a major cyber attack or data breach.
Conclusion
This article on Digital Footprint Statistics includes things like browsing history, internet searches, social media posts, online purchases, etc. Your digital footprint can have both positive and negative impacts, affecting your privacy and reputation.
It is important to be aware of the information you share online and how it is used. By managing your digital activities wisely, such as using strong passwords and being cautious about personal details, you can protect your privacy and make sure your online presence works in your favour.
FAQ.
Can I completely erase my digital footprint?
It’s difficult to fully remove your online data because some may be stored or shared by others. However, you can reduce it by deleting old accounts and posts and being careful online.
Is my digital footprint harmful?
Your digital footprint may not always be dangerous, but it can put your privacy at risk. Being careful online and protecting your information can help lower these risks.
How can I monitor my digital footprint?
- Search online to see what information is available about you.
- Set up Google Alerts to get notified when your name appears.
- Check data broker sites like Spokeo and request removal.
What can I do if I discover negative content in my digital footprint?
- Reach out to the website or platform to ask for removal.
- Use social media tools to delete or edit posts.
- Adjust privacy settings to control who views your info.
Maitrayee Dey
Maitrayee, after completing her graduation in Electrical Engineering, transitioned into the world of writing following a series of technical roles. She specializes in technology and Artificial Intelligence, bringing her experience as an Academic Research Analyst and Freelance Writer, with a focus on education and healthcare under the Australian system. From an early age, writing and painting have been her passions, leading her to pursue a full-time career in writing. In addition to her professional endeavors, Maitrayee also manages a YouTube channel dedicated to cooking.
