How much time do we spend online? In Italy, less than before, but AI becomes a constant. The NordVPN study

A new study conducted by NordVPN, based on a representative sample of over 20,000 users in 20 countries, offers an interesting snapshot of how Italians interact with technology in 2026.

Less time online, but more awareness?

According to current projections, the average Italian will spend 25 years, 6 months, and 1 day connected to the Internet in their lifetime. Although this figure may seem high—representing almost a third of the average life expectancy of 84 years—a countercurrent signal emerges: compared to just four years ago, the expected online time has decreased by 4 years, 11 months, and 18 days.

The international comparison presented by NordVPN shows how Italy currently stands at 26 years of digital presence, marking a decline from the 31 years recorded in 2022.

The digital routine: between leisure and artificial intelligence

The "time spent" online remains heavily skewed towards entertainment. The digital week of Italians consists of:

• Streaming: 6 hours and 34 minutes dedicated to movies and TV series.
• Music and video: 4 hours and 20 minutes and 4 hours and 19 minutes, respectively.
• Social media: 3 hours and 7 minutes.

A particularly noteworthy figure from a technological perspective is the integration of artificial intelligence: Italians today dedicate 53 minutes per week to interacting with AI chatbots. Despite only 11% considering AI as "essential", 18% recognize a tangible improvement in their online experience quality thanks to these tools.

Privacy: an Achilles' heel despite awareness

Despite the growing focus on cybersecurity, personal data management remains superficial. 66% of users share their date of birth, 64% their full name, and 43% their residential address.

Marijus Briedis, CTO of NordVPN, emphasizes how the challenge has changed:
"Today, protecting oneself means not only choosing strong passwords: it is essential to understand how our data is collected, used, and processed by the artificial intelligence systems we interact with every day."

Finally, the published graphs highlight how a significant portion of Italians (34%) would not give up any of their vices or habits to erase their online traces, with alcohol consumption and video games topping the list of least sacrificable activities.