Digital Dynamos: Average person tackles 90 tasks online every day! -

LONDON — The average individual accomplishes 90 online tasks daily, spanning from managing emails and paying bills to mapping out routes. A survey of 2,000 adults found that they typically access the internet nine times daily to browse social media, five times for scheduling appointments, and six times to stream content such as music and videos. Consequently, 54 percent believe their day would be challenging without online connectivity.

However, 61 percent have faced connectivity issues due to insufficient data, battery drainage, or weak signals. These disruptions led to feelings of stress in 41 percent of those surveyed, isolation in 31 percent, and anxiety in 29 percent.

This study was conducted on behalf of Vodafone as part of their “everyone.connected” initiative, which aspires to bridge the digital divide by providing connectivity, digital skills, and devices to U.K. individuals and businesses facing digital exclusion.

Endorsing this campaign, Vodafone collaborated with TV host Emma Willis to launch a YouTube mini docu-series, shedding light on the challenges of those digitally marginalized.

“We aimed to delve deep into the challenges faced by the digitally deprived. What astonished me was the time required to fulfill simple tasks—tasks that most of us consider routine, such as scheduling a doctor’s visit or using navigation since our world is increasingly digital,” says Willis in a statement. “Through ‘Disconnected’, we’ve just begun to uncover the depth of the digital divide. Yet, we’ve intimately grasped how vital connectivity is in daily life and the urgency to bridge the disparity between the digitally equipped and the deprived.”

Telehealth for seniors: Older man on a virtual doctor's visit — Researchers says the use of emojis in medical communication has universal appeal because it can bypass many languages, level of education, and age.
(© fizkes – stock.adobe.com)

The research further reveals that 57 percent of respondents felt that being connected aided them in financial management, and 54 percent believed it empowered them to accomplish daily duties.

Around 39 percent reported using their phone to interact with loved ones up to three times daily. Without an internet connection, 34 percent felt communication would be their most significant challenge, while others anticipated difficulties with shopping (34%), financial tasks (31%), and work demands (21%).

Interestingly, 38 percent of the respondents, surveyed by OnePoll, felt that connectivity outweighed the importance of exercising (29%) or socializing (29%). Moreover, 49 percent suggested their stress levels would spike if data were unreachable.