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Global Potential of Internet Remains Largely Untapped, Says UN Agency for

Digital Technology

The immense potential of the Internet for social and economic good remains
largely untapped despite 30 years of steady growth, according to a new report
from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations
specialized agency for information and communication technologies. Launched
to coincide with the opening of ITU's World Telecommunication Development
Conference in Kigali, Rwanda, the Global Connectivity Report 2022 argues that
while easy, affordable access to fast broadband is near-ubiquitous in most rich-
world nations, vast swaths of humanity remain excluded from the immense
possibilities offered by the online experience, stunting economic development
and deepening global inequalities. While the number of Internet users surged
from a just a few million in the early 1990s to almost five billion today, 2.9 billion
people – or around one third of humanity – still remain totally offline, and many
hundreds of millions more struggle with expensive, poor-quality access that
does little to materially improve their lives. The report advocates for putting
'universal and meaningful connectivity' – defined as the possibility of a safe,
satisfying, enriching, productive, and affordable online experience for everyone
– at the center of global development. It also evaluates how close the world is
to achieving that universal and meaningful connectivity, using the connectivity
targets for 2030 recently released by ITU and the Office of the UN Secretary-
General's Envoy on Technology. The cost of broadband subscriptions and digital
devices remains a major barrier to connectivity, the report confirms. Although
the cost of broadband – especially mobile broadband – has fallen significantly
over the past decade, the majority of low- and middle-income economies still
fall short of the global affordability target of 2% or less of gross national income
per capita set by the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development.
“Equitable access to digital technologies isn't just a moral responsibility, it's
essential for global prosperity and sustainability," said ITU Secretary-General of Internet use are higher for those with more
Houlin Zhao. “We need to create the right conditions, including promoting education – in many cases, far higher.
environments conducive to investment, to break cycles of exclusion and The report notes that the biggest challenges in
bring digital transformation to all." While the COVID-related surge in demand connecting the unconnected are no longer related to
for Internet access brought some 800 million additional people online, it also network coverage, but rather to uptake and use. With
dramatically increased the cost of digital exclusion, with those unable to connect just 5% of the global population still physically out
abruptly shut out of employment, schooling, access to health advice, financial of reach of a mobile broadband signal, the 'coverage
services, and much more. “Universal, meaningful connectivity has become the gap' is now dwarfed by the 'usage gap': some 32% of
global imperative for our decade," said Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Director of ITU's people who are within range of a mobile broadband
Telecommunication Development Bureau, which produced the report. “It's no network and could theoretically connect still remain
longer just about linking people – the catalytic role of connectivity will also be offline, due to prohibitive costs, lack of access to a
absolutely critical to our success in achieving the UN Sustainable Development device, or lack of awareness, skills, or ability to find
Goals." Still looking for the 'missing link' 'The Missing Link' report, published useful content.
in 1984 by the Independent Commission for World-Wide Telecommunications Youth
Development set up by ITU , identified a clear correlation between access to Only 40% of school-age children have home access
telecommunications and socio-economic development and urged all countries to the Internet, with many only able to access online
to make connectivity a priority. Nearly 40 years on, that 'missing link' still services via a mobile phone with limited functionality
persists, but has morphed to multiple digital divides: for activities like e-learning. Access and digital skills
• The Income Divide – the level of Internet use in low-income countries (22%) are key to ensuring that children and youth enhance
remains far below that of high-income countries, which are approaching their prospects, and there is growing recognition that
universal use (91%) all stakeholders need to collaborate more effectively
• The Urban-Rural Divide – the share of Internet users is twice as high in urban to protect youth from online risks and harm. Issues
areas as in rural areas directly affecting young people's digital access and
• The Gender Divide – globally, 62% of men are using the Internet, compared experience were debated at ITU's first-ever Generation
with 57% of women Connect Global Youth Summit, which took place
• The Generation Divide – in all regions, young people 15-24 year are more avid in Kigali, Rwanda, from 2-4 June, just ahead of the
Internet users (72% online) than the rest of the population (57%) opening of the WTDC.
• The Education Divide – In nearly all countries where data are available, rates
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