Covid-19 lockdown effect: Every second Indian now on internet in cities

The stay-at-home directive, in place since a month-and-a-half to fight Covid-19, has had an interesting fallout: Internet has become mainstream.
 

The data released by Nielsen and the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) shows that internet usage has grown sharply in cities over the last one month, touching 54 per cent. In other words, every second individual in cities is using internet, says the study.
 

In rural areas, internet penetration stands at 32 per cent, while the national average is 40 per cent. The smartphone is the preferred device through which internet is being accessed, with time spent on smartphones shooting up to nearly four hours per day from three hours and 22 minutes daily before the pandemic began.

Chatting, social networking, gaming and video streaming are some of the preferred activities on smartphones.