Across the G-20, it already amounted to 4.1 percent of GDP, or $2.3tr, in 2010 -surpassing the economies of Italy and Brazil. The internet is contributing up to 8 percent of GDP in some economies, powering growth, and creating jobs.
The scale and pace of change is still accelerating, and the nature of the internet - who uses it, how, and for what - is changing rapidly too.
The internet has reached a scale and level of impact that no business, industry or government can ignore. And like any technological phenomenon with its scale and speed, it presents myriad opportunities, which consumers have been quick and enthusiastic to grasp. Businesses, particularly small and medium enterprises - the growth engine of most economies - have been uneven in their uptake, but they are moving online in increasing numbers and with an increasingly intense commitment.
