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The recent solar eclipse caused a big drop in internet traffic across North America∂⁴. This is an interesting example of how celestial events can change how people act.
The Event of the Solar Eclipse
Millions of people were fascinated by the sun eclipse, which happened in parts of Mexico, the US, and Canada. It also caused a big drop in internet traffic². People took their eyes off their computers to enjoy the show, and as a result, internet activity dropped sharply†.
What Will Happen to Internet Traffic?
Cloudflare, a company that builds and manages the internet, says that internet use dropped for a short time in parts of North America where the total solar eclipse happened. For example, in Vermont, traffic dropped by 60% at 3:25 p.m. EST for five minutes, just as the Moon crossed the Sun’s path completely². In the same way, during their five-minute eclipse windows, internet traffic dropped by 40% or more in Arkansas, Indiana, Maine, New Hampshire, and Ohio.
The Effect on the World
Not only people in the US saw this trend. A 57% drop in online activity was seen in the Mexican state of Durango during the eclipse². People in Canada’s Prince Edward Island province used the internet 48% less during the eclipse².
The People Part
Cloudflare is right when they say that natural and human-made events can have a direct effect on internet traffic². When families get together for holidays like Thanksgiving to share a meal, traffic usually goes down². The opposite happens on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, when people rush to their favorite online stores to find deals².
Bottom Line
The effect of the solar eclipse on internet traffic shows how powerful nature events can be in changing how people act. As we move through the digital age, it will be interesting to see how other big events, both natural and man-made, change the way we use the internet.
