Global internet traffic surged by 17% in 2024

Global Internet traffic surged by 17% in 2024 compared to the previous year, reflecting the growing global dependency on the Internet, according to Cloudflare, Inc.’s fifth annual Year in Review report. The report offers insights into Internet usage and security trends worldwide, highlighting key developments in areas such as popular online services, generative AI, and cybersecurity threats.

“We rely on the Internet almost constantly, yet many still see it merely as a collection of web pages. But the Internet is everywhere, woven throughout almost all of the daily activities of modern life – how we interact and connect on social media, use our smart refrigerators and vacuums, travel from one place to another through rideshare apps, connect to our banks and more. All of these interactions we often take for granted, behind the scenes, are connected to the Internet in one way or another, with a huge percentage running through Cloudflare’s network every second of every day. And as one of the largest in the world, Cloudflare’s global network has an unmatched comprehensive view into usage and overall quality and connectivity across the web.”Matthew Prince, CEO and co-founder, Cloudflare, said.

Among the notable findings, Google retained its position as the most popular Internet service for the third consecutive year, followed by Facebook, Apple, and TikTok. WhatsApp entered the top ten for the first time. In generative AI, OpenAI remained the most popular service, while new entrants like Codeium, Claude, and CoPilot made significant gains. Gaming services saw Roblox maintain its top spot for the fourth year, with Steam entering the top five and Minecraft joining the top ten for the first time. The report further revealed that the Gaming and Gambling industry became the most targeted sector for cyber threats, surpassing Finance, with notable spikes in attacks during events like the Super Bowl.

“Cloudflare Radar was launched in 2020 when we witnessed the drastic impact the pandemic had on the way we interact with the Internet, and the importance of those insights to be accessible to anyone. Our Year in Review is a part of Radar’s commitment to democratize Cloudflare’s data, offering a window into Internet trends and patterns for anyone to explore at their fingertips.” David Belson, Head of Data Insight at Cloudflare,” David Belson, head of data insight, Cloudflare, added. Financial Express