
Digital Progress and Trends Report 2023 Digital Progress andTrends Report 2023 © 2024 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433Telephone: 202-473-1000; Internet: www.worldbank.org Some rights reserved 1 2 3 427 26 25 24 Revised 2024 On p. xvii, the last sentence of the first bulleted item has been revised to refer to individuals in low-incomecountries.This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpreta- tions, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Boardof Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy,completeness, or currency of the data included in this work and does not assume responsibility for any errors,omissions, or discrepancies in the information, or liability with respect to the use of or failure to use the infor-mation, methods, processes, or conclusions set forth. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other infor-mation shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerningthe legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries.Nothing herein shall constitute or be construed or considered to be a limitation upon or waiver of the privi- leges and immunities of The World Bank, all of which are specifically reserved. Rights and Permissions This work is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO license (CC BY 3.0 IGO) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo. Under the Creative Commons Attribution license, you are free to copy,distribute, transmit, and adapt this work, including for commercial purposes, under the following conditions: Attribution—Please cite the work as follows: World Bank. 2024.Digital Progress and Trends Report 2023.Washington, DC: World Bank. doi:10.1596/978-1-4648-2049-6. License: Creative Commons Attribution CC BY3.0 IGO Translations—If you create a translation of this work, please add the following disclaimer along with theattribution:This translation was not created by The World Bank and should not be considered an officialWorld Bank translation. The World Bank shall not be liable for any content or error in this translation. Adaptations—If you create an adaptation of this work, please add the following disclaimer along with theattribution:This is an adaptation of an original work by The World Bank. Views and opinions expressed inthe adaptation are the sole responsibility of the author or authors of the adaptation and are not endorsed byThe World Bank. Third-party content—The World Bank does not necessarily own each component of the content containedwithin the work. The World Bank therefore does not warrant that the use of any third-party-owned individualcomponent or part contained in the work will not infringe on the rights of those third parties. The risk of claimsresulting from such infringement rests solely with you. If you wish to re-use a component of the work, it is yourresponsibility to determine whether permission is needed for that re-use and to obtain permission from thecopyright owner. Examples of components can include, but are not limited to, tables, figures, or images. All queries on rights and licenses should be addressed to World Bank Publications, The World Bank, 1818 HStreet NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; e-mail: pubrights@worldbank.org. ISBN (paper): 978-1-4648-2049-6ISBN (electronic): 978-1-4648-2050-2DOI: 10.1596/978-1-4648-2049-6 Cover and interior design:Bill Pragluski / Critical Stages, LLC. Contents Foreword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xiAcknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xiiiExecutive Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xvAbbreviations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xxiii PART 1: PROGRESS Chapter 1 Digital Adoption: Accelerating Postpandemic, yet a Widening Divide3 Key messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3The share of Internet users in middle-income countries is moving closer tothat in high-income countries, while the share in low-income countriescontinues to lag. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Larger gaps are forming in internet speeds and data use. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9COVID-19 boosted the use of business,