The 2020 Inclusive Internet Index

After years of strong connectivity growth, high-income countries are approaching universal Internet access and the 5G era, however, the pace of growth in low-income countries has fallen to just 3.8%, making progress towards universal and affordable Internet access more arduous. Global Internet connectivity has grown substantially over the past five years, yet today nearly half the world remains on the other side of the digital divide. With connectivity spread unevenly both within and across countries, building an inclusive Internet will require invigorated efforts and innovation from stakeholders. The Economist Intelligence Unit, commissioned by Facebook, has published the Inclusive Internet Index for a fourth consecutive year, again covering 100 countries, and now representing 91% of the world’s population and 96% of global GDP.

The 2020 Index assesses Internet availability, affordability, relevance, and readiness using 56 indicators, including 18 qualitative indicators measuring the enabling environment for Internet inclusion; 29 quantitative indicators exploring supply- and demand-side drivers of connectivity and quality access; and 9 survey indicators drawn from “The Value of the Internet” survey, through which users voice how they use and perceive the Internet. In its third iteration, the survey polled 4,953 respondents around the world and included questions about how they use the Internet to manage their finances. The results of the 2020 Index confirm that growth in upper-middle-, lower-middle-, and low-income countries is slowing, signaling that with more than half the world connected, the remaining share will be harder to reach. In particular, the more dramatic slowdown in the pace of growth in low-income countries threatens to widen the digital divide where inclusion is needed most. For example, although the gender gap in Internet access has narrowed over the past year, men are still 12.9% more likely than women to have Internet access globally, and 34.5% more likely in the lowest-income economies. Despite their increasing lack of trust in information online, more than 50% of survey respondents worldwide agreed that the Internet has enhanced their financial independence, reminding us of its vital opportunities and the urgency to make it accessible and affordable for everyone.