The Heartbeat of the Internet

The Fair Internet Report has created an interactive map which visualizes where and when in the world internet users ran speed tests over a 24 hour period (data from June 21, 2023). Mapping 24 Hours of Internet Speed Tests shows a total of 3.6 million speed tests being carried out across the world, all over the course of one day in June.

Each line on the map represents a speed test carried out by an internet user. The line connects the individual's location to the location of the server where their download speed is being tested from. As the map plays out over the course of June 21st you can observe the diurnal patterns of global human activity as the internet usage in individual countries rises and falls during the night and day. 

This daily pattern of internet activity is probably more apparent if you select to view an individual country from the map's drop-down menu. You can then use the map's timeline control to see how the number of people running speed tests increases during the hours of daylight and falls during the night-time hours.