Internet use Metadata

People using the internet

Internet use

InternetUse

The indicator proportion of individuals using the Internet is defined as the proportion of individuals who used the Internet from any location in the last three months.

Source: United Nations Statistics Division. (2024). Metadata for Sustainable Development Goal indicator 17.8.1: Proportion of individuals using the Internet. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/files/Metadata-17-08-01.pdf (Accessed 29 July 2026).

This data series recognises the internet as an increasingly important means of accessing public information and considers internet use a key measure of the development of the information society and the digital divide. In forced displacement contexts, internet access can be particularly important for enabling refugees, internally displaced persons and stateless people to obtain timely information, access essential services and opportunities, maintain contact with family and support networks, and participate more fully in social and economic life. The series therefore helps assess whether forcibly displaced and stateless populations are benefiting equitably from digital connectivity and identify disparities that may compound their existing exclusion.

Numerator: number of in-scope individuals who used the internet from any location in the last 3 months.
Denominator: total number of in-scope individuals with valid information.

Calculation: divide the numerator by the denominator and multiply the result by 100.

International definition and standards

Data are generally more reliable when internet use is measured directly through official household surveys. Where survey data are unavailable, estimates produced by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) may be subject to greater uncertainty. Comparability across countries and over time may also be affected by differences in definitions, age ranges, reference periods and the extent of age-group coverage.

Quality assurance follows the practices of the standardised survey series or data source from which the data is collected.