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As the number of Internet users is rising, research from Community Fibre reveals just how dependent Brits are on the Internet.
UK internet users are set to increase to 63 million in the next five years, and new research from broadband provider Community Fibre reveals that many Brits depend on the Internet.
Out of the 2,000 respondents who use the Internet, three in five Brits (62%) admit they couldn’t survive without it.
The research also reveals the generational divide when it comes to digital literacy.
Only one in five Gen Zs have used a dial-up modem, and just over a third (35%) have used a floppy disc. Old-school social media is also unknown to Gen Z, with only 16% having used Bebo and only a quarter admitting to using Myspace – compared to nearly half (48%) of Millennials.
But while digital technologies and social platforms have evolved over the Internet age, the generational divide is less prevalent concerning Internet usage, with the Internet now a key part of life for older generations.
Looking at speeds, Gen X admit they dislike waiting more than a few seconds for something to buffer online (66%). Meanwhile, Gen Z (56%) and Millennials (54%) are found to be slightly more patient with load times.
To help the UK appreciate just how far the Internet has come, Community Fibre has recruited Harry Shotta, the legendary rapper heralded for his fast rhymes, to give a ‘history lesson’ on the Internet.
Known for breaking the Guinness World Record for the number of words in a track, previously held by Eminem, Shotta’s new track captures the history of the Internet and key moments since its inception, with nods to the good old days of MSN, as well as to current day TikTok trends.
Discussing his creation of the track, Harry Shotta said: “There’s no doubt the Internet has come an impressively long way in what really is a short amount of time.”
“From all the things we all now use it for, to how fast it has become, I think we all have moments where we take it for granted.”
The research also found that most Boomers (71%) and Gen X (75%) first used the Internet via a dial modem through a desktop computer.
Meanwhile, the experience for digital natives has long been on the go, with two in five (40%) Gen Zs first logging in online via Wi-Fi on their smartphone.
“Covering the broad history of the internet in just 60 seconds wasn’t a small feat but doing it with Community Fibre has been a blast,” says Henry.
“As someone who gets a kick out of a speed challenge and trying to get in as many words as possible, it made sense to join forces with London’s fastest fibre broadband provider to create something fun.”
