 New data by the International Telecommunication Union, ITU, revealed that 4.9 billion people are online in 2021, while an estimated 37% of the world's population, or 2.9 billion people, have never used the internet. Even among the 4.9 billion people counted as using the internet, many hundreds of millions may only go online infrequently, and so are not able to make the most of its power to transform lives. Of the 2.9 billion still offline, 96% live in developing countries. ITU data also reveal that people in urban areas are twice as likely to use the internet than those in rural areas. 76% compared to 39%. A generational gap also exists. 71% of young people are using the internet, compared to 57% of the rest of the population. Although narrowing globally, large gender digital gaps remain in poorer countries. Globally, 62% of men use the internet compared to 57% of women, whereas in the least developed countries, only 19% of women are connected compared to 31% of men. Let's not forget that among those using the internet, infrequent use, the need to rely on shared devices, slow speeds and high connection costs, mean many are not able to realise its full potential. We cannot close the digital divide if we cannot measure it. Data is key to make informed decisions to drive digital transformation and transform the lives of underserved communities. For more information, visit www.itu.int.factsandfigures 2021 and download the ITU Facts and Figures.