We're spending less and less time online

IT'S a growing trend. Despite the ever-growing number of distractions tempting them, internet users are actually spending less and less time online, according to a new study. Here's what we know.

Most of us don't notice how much time we're spending online as we surf from one site to another, checking out social media feeds, news, videos and games.

Between the endless amount of content, the multitude of different social networks and the success of streaming, internet users have a lot to keep them busy.

Yet, according to the latest "Digital 2023 April Global Statshot Report," published in partnership with We Are Social and Meltwater, which analyzes the latest digital trends for April 2023, we are spending less and less time online.

Internet users now spend an average of 6 hours and 35 minutes per day online, regardless of the device used.

That's two minutes less than the previous results from January 2023. And based on GWI data, it represents a decrease of 18 minutes per day, or 4.4% of time spent online, compared to the same period last year.

Since the second quarter of 2021, time spent online has steadily declined from 6 hours and 57 minutes to 6 hours and 35 minutes today.

And yet, while the decline in time spent online is intensifying, internet users still spend more time online than watching TV. In fact, in comparison, internet users spend 3 hours and 12 minutes watching TV, 1 hour and 49 minutes reading the press (both online and in print) and 1 hour and 28 minutes listening to streaming music.

It is also worth noting that internet users spend 2 hours and 24 minutes using social media, and in this area a decline has also been observed, of 5 minutes compared to 2022.

Whether it's watching TV, reading the press, listening to music, radio, or podcasts and even playing on video game consoles, the study shows a decline in the amount of time internet users spend on these activities.

With the world average coming in at 6 hours and 35 minutes, Japan has the lowest time spent online per day at 3 hours and 51 minutes while South Africa spends the most at 9 hours and 27 minutes.

The UK is below the world average with an average of 5 hours and 42 minutes, while India's average is 6 hours and 39 minutes, while the US average is 7 hours and 2 minutes and Singapore's 7 hours and 7 minutes.