Canada's dependence on the Internet has increased and Facebook is the most toxic social media platform: Claims CIRA

Canada's dependence on the Internet has increased and Facebook is the most toxic social media platform: Claims CIRA

The Internet Registration Authority of Canada (CIRA) recently published some data on Canadian Internet usage and exposed changing trends on Canada's Internet usage patterns and people's behavior while working from home.

CIRA tested Internet performance at Internet exchange points rather than architecture owned by large Internet providers. CIRA calls this type of test "off-net", which says it is neutral. The second type of testing is called "on-net", which tests the quality of the Internet from the user to the Internet service provider.

Internet quality also affects real estate decisions. The CIRA report states that seven in 10 Canadians will not be able to afford a home without high-speed Internet access, which exposes the value Canadian location on Internet access. It is well known that dependence on the Internet increased during the COVID 19 lockdown. People turned to the internet for entertainment, shopping, school and work. It became even more critical than before.

The good news revealed in the CIRA report is that nine out of ten of Canada have access to broadband. The satisfaction rate sits at 81 percent. Median download speeds also increased in 2020, increasing to 22.5 in Mbps in urban areas and speeds.16 Mbps in rural areas.

News sources

To stay informed, 54 percent of Canadians go directly to news specific news sites. About 50 percent also actively seek information on Google, and 36 percent look to Facebook for news. Despite being used by seven out of ten Canadians, 41 percent of Canadians named Facebook the worst social media platform to use, and 38 percent as the most addictive. In contrast, YouTube is the most supportive social media platform, with 20 percent of Canadians saying so.

The burden of IT has come on the doorstep of family and friends. But although people are spending more time in front of their computers — 15 percent spend more than 8 hours online per day — the support of Pramptu technology was in the same trend as the year before. The number did not increase significantly, with 44 percent of Canadians reporting that they performed informal technical assistance.

And despite the phishing attacks that capitalized on COVID-19's terror fears, concerns over cyber security have subsided. In 2020, three-quarters of Canadians say they are concerned about malware on the Internet, 80 percent in the first year. Of the respondents, 27 percent say they have been the victim of a successful cyber attack in 2020.

With life becoming more and more web-bound, most people in Canada are ready to take vacations in areas without internet connectivity. Connecting with family was the biggest reason for going offline, followed by reconnecting with friends. But still, 18 percent of the respondents are not ready to be unplugged even during the holiday.