The Israeli Internet Association released its statistics detailing the internet usage of Israelis in the past year by looking at preferences regarding media and internet use, including the most visited international websites and the most popular social media sites.
In the category of social media, unsurprisingly, YouTube, WhatsApp and Facebook dominate the field, with over 90% of Israelis using each one. However, TikTok is breathing down their necks after the percentage of Israelis using it jumped from 30% in 2022 to around 50% at the beginning of 2023.
Most Israelis use a streaming service
Most of the Israeli public is using some kind of streaming service, but which one is the most popular? In 2022, Netflix led the field with a huge margin, as 60% of Israelis preferred it over its challenger Disney+, which could only garner 10% of this market. Other competitors like Apple TV, Amazon Prime and Discovery Plus remained under 5%.
The category of internet TV content providers is a bit more crowded. HOT is the most popular provider with a 20% market share, YES followed with 14%, while Partner and Cellcom both have 11%.
How are Israel's youth using the internet? The statistics show that almost half of Israel's youngsters spend over four hours a day in front of a screen, while a third stare at a screen for a full six hours every day.
Has Internet access become essential in modern society? (Illustrative) (credit: PIXABAY)How do Israeli households connect to the internet? 35% are using optical fibers, while 27% are using the older DSL technology and 21% are using cable. Israel is relatively backward in this regard, as in most OECD countries, over 40% of households have already upgraded to the more modern system using optical fiber.
Most Israelis are also using the internet in their workplace, at least in some capacity. The usage is shared equally between personal computers, including laptops, and mobiles, including tablets.
"The Internet Index published this year for the first time by the Israel Internet Association encompasses the habits of using the various internet services, the scope of the infrastructure available to the public and their quality," Yoram Hacohen, CEO of the Israel Internet Association summarized the statistics.
"You can clearly see the rapid growth that has taken place over the past year in the consumption of various video content among Israelis, whether it is in the use of TikTok or in the consumption of series on Netflix. In general, the internet has become the main source of media consumption and leisure - television, series and music. The survey also shows that the ever-increasing dependence on the network requires us to 'catch up' at a faster pace in everything related to infrastructure - optical fiber and internet surfing speed. The use of the internet is increasing at a rapid rate and the state must make sure that the infrastructures meet the 'demand' and are even prepared for future developments," Hacohen concluded.
