Which country recorded the highest digital penetration in 2022-2023?

Abstract

This paper explores country penetration levels of major Internet applications replacing physical activities. This exploration first aims to learn whether high penetration levels typify large or small countries. Second, it seeks to see whether wealthier countries, among the largest ones by population, lead penetration levels for major Internet applications. Previous data for 2010 showed that smaller countries led globally in their penetration levels, and it was not for wealthier countries to lead among the most prominent countries worldwide. The 2023 data for Internet penetration, for the adoption of smartphones, as well as for the penetration levels for the leading networking platforms (Facebook, Twitter (X), WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok) all reveal similar trends: high penetration levels typified both developing and developed countries and small, and usually wealthy, countries achieved the highest penetration scores worldwide. Thus, the trends studied in 2010 were not temporary. Thus, Digital networking is globally and freely available, possibly encouraging interaction and literacy. As far as e-mails are concerned, they are also automatically used by private, institutional, business, and IOT entities. Therefore, the list of leading countries for e-mail use for 2023 consists of developed countries. Online shopping levels depend on the economic status of individuals, so it was for developed countries to lead the 2023 list of online shopping levels.