Note (October 2026): This article earlier suggested Amazon might be the first stock above $1,000 a share and the first trillion-dollar company. Priceline crossed $1,000 first (2013) and Apple reached $1 trillion first (August 2018); the text has been corrected.
The main benefits of the internet age are instant access to information, easy communication across the world, online shopping, online education, remote work, and self-service travel booking. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), about 6 billion people, or 74% of the world’s population, were online in 2025, the newest year it reports.
Key Takeaways
- The ITU estimates that 74% of the world’s population, about 6 billion people, used the internet in 2025, up from 5.8 billion in 2024.
- More than 2 billion people remain offline, mostly in low- and middle-income countries; usage reached 94% in high-income countries but only 23% in low-income countries in 2025.
- Online shopping is now mainstream: the US Census Bureau put US retail e-commerce at $340.2 billion in the second quarter of 2026, 17.1% of total retail sales.
- The same tools that bring the benefits also bring risks, including scams, privacy loss and misinformation, so basic online safety habits matter.
We all know the internet is often ranked among the most important inventions of the modern era. It is worth stopping for a minute to remember everything it lets people do. With broadband and wireless internet we can stay informed, in contact, and productive while on the go and anywhere in the world!
Millennials, unlike Generation X and those before them, mostly never had to open a hard covered Encyclopedia to research a school topic.
The Internet Age Advantages
Here are some of the benefits that this generation, and those after it, enjoy that most people could only have dreamt about a few decades ago.
Life changing benefits of the internet age to business
Online shopping is one of the biggest changes to come out of the internet age. It has changed how an entire culture buys everyday goods. Amazon is one of the best-known online retailers. Amazon shares first traded above $1,000 in May 2017, but Priceline had already crossed that mark in September 2013. Amazon passed $1 trillion in market capitalization on 4 September 2018, about a month after Apple became the first US company to do so on 2 August 2018.
It’s been several years since I stepped foot into a brick and mortar store during the holiday season. With free shipping and an unlimited selection, combined with the comforts of shopping from your easy chair, it’s easy to understand why people jump at the chance to shop from their laptop.
Especially during the busy bustling cold weather season! When I proposed to my wife I even bought her diamond from Blue Nile online. I will admit that the ring itself I purchased from a local jeweler and then had them set the diamond itself into the ring, but I saved a ton of money on the largest portion of that purchase!
Brick and mortar stores have to price in rent, utilities, labor costs, and general overhead payments. Not to mention the amounts of store inventory that they manage and comes with a carrying cost.
Homework and research for school projects is a whole other area that has improved for this generation. Many younger readers have never used microfiche, the film sheets libraries once used to store newspapers and records. Catalog and index cards, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and paperwork text books are quickly becoming past tense.
Now students can do most of their homework and research from home. There are many trustworthy research sites online, and many books that people used to borrow from the library are now available as e-books that can be read on a phone or an e-reader such as the Amazon Kindle. We are seeing more and more classes being taught online as well.
Online classes were once quite a bit taboo, and generally associated with lower quality schools and colleges. Many well-known universities now offer complete degrees online, not just the one or two classes of the early days. Online delivery can reduce spending on buildings and parking, and it lets students study from almost anywhere with a reliable connection.
There was a time when we had to visit a travel agent if we wanted to book a vacation to somewhere we were otherwise unfamiliar. Perhaps a cruise or a European backpacking trip was too daunting for you to plan on your own.
Then the internet popped up and travel sites like Kayak and Trip Advisor made booking our own travel much easier. Kayak and similar metasearch sites compare fares from many booking sites at once, so travelers can weigh flight times against prices. Likewise, you can see all hotel availabilities without calling each one individually.
Review sites such as Trip Advisor let travelers research hotels without relying only on a travel agent’s word. They even offer the non-glossy photos of real travelers, so you can see what the property, rooms, and grounds look like in real life.
Travel agents have to be paid somehow, whether through service fees or commissions from suppliers, so it is worth asking an agent how they are paid. Some agents may favor resorts and hotel chains that pay them more, which is one reason to compare options yourself. Online, travelers can compare many options side by side and book from home, although booking sites have commercial interests of their own, such as commissions and paid placements.
With just those few examples above, it’s quite easy to see the benefits that this generation has enjoyed over the ones before it. Technology keeps advancing quickly, so the internet as it exists today is likely only the start of what is to come for this generation and the ones that follow it.
Just remember, every time you complain about your wireless internet going out for an hour, think about what the generations before you did when they didn’t have it at all. 🙂
What Are the Main Benefits of the Internet Age?
The internet age is the period in which internet access became an everyday utility for homes, businesses and schools. Its benefits fall into a few clear groups.
- Information: search engines, online encyclopedias and digital libraries put reference material on any connected device.
- Communication: email, messaging apps and video calls make it cheap to stay in touch across countries and time zones.
- Shopping and banking: people can compare prices, buy goods and manage money without visiting a branch or store.
- Education: online courses and full online degrees let people study around work and family commitments.
- Work: cloud software and video meetings make remote and hybrid work possible for many office jobs.
- Travel: booking, comparison and review sites let travelers plan trips themselves.
Before and After the Internet: A Quick Comparison
| Task | Before the internet age | Today |
|---|---|---|
| Research a school topic | Printed encyclopedias, library card catalogs, microfiche | Search engines, online encyclopedias, e-books and digital journals |
| Buy a gift | Visit stores in person during opening hours | Compare prices online and order for home delivery |
| Book a vacation | Visit or phone a travel agent | Compare flights and hotels on booking and metasearch sites, read traveler reviews |
| Take a college course | Attend classes on campus | Take single classes or complete degrees online |
| Contact family abroad | Letters and costly international calls | Messaging apps and video calls over the internet |
How Many People Use the Internet Today?
According to the ITU’s Facts and Figures 2025 report, 74% of the world’s population, about 6 billion people, used the internet in 2025, up from 5.8 billion in 2024. The ITU also reports that mobile broadband coverage is nearly universal and that 5G now reaches more than half of the global population.
The benefits are not shared equally. The ITU estimates that more than 2 billion people remain offline, most of them in low- and middle-income countries, and that internet use reached 94% in high-income countries but only 23% in low-income countries in 2025. This gap is often called the digital divide. For a look at what faster connections can mean for poorer regions, see how high-speed internet could change the developing world.
How Has Online Shopping Changed Retail?
Online shopping has grown from a novelty into a large share of retail spending. The US Census Bureau estimated US retail e-commerce sales at $340.2 billion in the second quarter of 2026 (seasonally adjusted), 17.1% of total retail sales and 3.8% higher than the first quarter of 2026.
Lower overheads, wide selection and home delivery explain much of that growth, but shoppers still need to check sellers, return policies and payment security. Our guides to safe online shopping and getting the best deals on shopping sites cover the practical steps.
What Are the Downsides of the Internet Age?
The internet age also has real costs, and a balanced view includes them.
- Scams and fraud: fake shops, phishing emails and text messages target people who shop and bank online.
- Privacy: many free services are paid for with personal data; see why privacy is becoming harder to keep.
- Misinformation: anyone can publish, so the quality of online sources varies widely.
- Unequal access: people without a connection or digital skills can be left behind as services move online.
- Screen time: constant connectivity can crowd out sleep, exercise and offline relationships.
How to Get the Most From the Internet Safely
- Use a unique password for each important account and turn on two-step verification where it is offered.
- Keep your phone, computer and browser updated so security fixes are installed.
- Check who runs a website, and look for an author, date and named sources before trusting information.
- Type a bank’s or shop’s address yourself instead of following links in unexpected messages.
- Compare several sources, or several booking sites, before making a big decision or purchase.
- If your connection is slow, try the steps in ways to increase your internet speed.
For where things may be heading next, read what the future of the internet could look like.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest benefit of the internet?
The biggest benefit of the internet is fast, low-cost access to information and communication. A connected person can look up almost any topic, contact people worldwide and use services such as banking, shopping and education without traveling.
What percentage of the world uses the internet?
According to the ITU, 74% of the world’s population, about 6 billion people, used the internet in 2025, the newest year in its Facts and Figures report. More than 2 billion people remained offline.
How has the internet changed education?
The internet has moved research, reading and teaching online. Students use search engines, online encyclopedias and e-books instead of printed references, and many universities now offer complete degrees online as well as single courses.
Is online shopping cheaper than shopping in stores?
Online shopping is often cheaper because online sellers avoid some store costs such as rent and in-store staff, and prices are easy to compare. It is not always cheaper once shipping and return costs are included, so compare the total price.
What are the disadvantages of the internet age?
The main disadvantages of the internet age are online scams, loss of privacy, misinformation, unequal access between richer and poorer countries, and excessive screen time. Good security habits and careful source checking reduce most of these risks.
When did Amazon reach $1 trillion?
Amazon’s market capitalization first passed $1 trillion on 4 September 2018. Apple had become the first US company to reach that mark on 2 August 2018.
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