Do you get that panicky feeling if you forget your phone? Do you suffer from FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)? Well, you are not alone.
More than half (55%) of respondents to a Siteopia study of internet usage feel they are addicted to the internet, while almost 62% of us admit we “need’ the internet to function in everyday life.
One in ten of those participating said they can’t go longer than ten minutes during the day without catching up on social media or email.
The Siteopia study of 2,000 internet users reported that, on average, most respondents only go a maximum of 90 minutes during the day without checking Facebook, Twitter or email.
Many of us are using mobile as the device of choice for checking in and updating our status - 10% of people now access the internet primarily on their mobile, with 5% accessing primarily via tablet. 75% have already been online before 9am every day, with almost one in five checking their e-mail or catching up on social media during their commute to work.
A whopping 62% now do all their banking online. A third do all of their clothes shopping online, with free returns and delivery becoming an ever more common feature.
How Many Devices Do You Use?
I am on my laptop as I write now, but earlier today I used my iPad and iPhone to check in. Seems I am fairly normal - the average internet user can now get online via three different devices. But some 10% of us have as many as five devices, illuminating the growth of smart devices like televisions and gaming consoles.
Usage by Gender
Surprisingly, even though women spend more time with online shopping and social media, it’s men who spend more than 19 hours a week online – more than 42 solid days each year, and over a third longer than women, who only spend 14 hours per week surfing the web. Men spend more time on news, Twitter, gaming and Not Safe for Work sites.
