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As of April 2026, **** percent of the population in Burundi lacked internet access, placing the country second worldwide in terms of offline population share. North Korea ranked first, with an internet penetration rate close to ****, as access to the global internet remains largely restricted for its citizens.

Global internet freedom and access

The degree of internet freedom varies drastically across countries, with some providing open access and others imposing significant restrictions. In 2024, Iceland was leading worldwide in terms of internet freedom, while Myanmar and China ranked the lowest in the world, with strict government surveillance and censorship. The struggle with limited internet access is particularly evident in Africa, which had the lowest internet penetration rates as of 2024.

Global privacy concerns

The limitations and restrictions to internet access around the world prove that internet users' privacy is extremely vulnerable. And those who have access to the web are somewhat aware of that. By the third quarter of 2024, around **** percent of internet users expressed concerns about companies misusing their data. This growing awareness of privacy risks is reflected in user behaviour. By June 2024,  in 10 internet users worldwide had already taken measures to protect their online privacy. Additionally, many internet users reported taking further steps, such as enabling multi-factor authentication, for stronger privacy protections.