Is the Internet the Fifth Element and Mobile Phones the 33rd Organ?
Ask yourself what the most frequent activity you do every day is?
Is it exercising? Reading? In reality, while these activities may be part of our daily routine, what most people do more frequently than exercising, eating, or meeting friends is picking up their phones to check something.
According to the Global Digital Q3 2019 report by Hootsuite, the global population is approximately 7.71 billion, with around 5.11 billion unique mobile phone users, accounting for 66.28% of the world's population. There are 4.33 billion internet users, which is 56.16% of the global population. This shows that both mobile phone and internet users exceed half of the world's population. In simple terms, if we walk down the street and meet 10 people, about 6 will have mobile phones, and 5 will be using the internet.
How much time do we spend on the internet on average?
On average, internet users worldwide spend 6 hours and 42 minutes online each day, which is 26.75% of a day, or about 1 in 4 of the day. Data from Polar Sleep Plus, collected from approximately 6,105,544 users of Polar M430 and A370 watches, shows that the average person sleeps for about 7 hours and 22 minutes. The longest average sleep duration is in Estonia, at about 7 hours and 36 minutes, while the shortest is in Japan, at about 6 hours and 33 minutes. This means that the average time spent on the internet globally is even more than some people's sleep time.
What do we do online and on our mobile phones every day?
According to the Global Digital 2019 report by Hootsuite, the top three websites most frequently visited daily are Google, with an average visit duration of 9 minutes; YouTube, with an average visit duration of 21 minutes; and Facebook, with an average of 11 minutes.
We spend so much time online that there is a condition known as Internet Addiction Disorder, classified as a psychological syndrome resulting from excessive internet use for information or news consumption. Unlike other addictions, the internet allows for real-time interaction with other users. According to honestdocs.co, this condition often affects males in their teens to 30s, with some reports indicating that internet addiction is a serious issue, especially in Asian countries. A 2013 Reuters report noted that youth aged 10-19 in South Korea exhibited signs of internet addiction, while China has developed strict rehabilitation camps to keep internet addicts away from online activities. A 2012 report in China Daily stated that China has over 1,500 licensed trainers in these camps to treat internet addiction.
It is evident that the internet and mobile phones have become increasingly important parts of our lives, essential for us wherever we go, especially among the youth. The technology of the internet and mobile phones is rapidly evolving to meet our needs. Thus, it is no surprise that both have become essential factors in our lives, akin to a 33rd organ that we must always carry.
However, we should reflect on whether the time we spend online and on our mobile phones is truly worthwhile, beneficial, and adds value to our lives. What do you think? Let's share our thoughts on this topic.
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