A May 2026 report on digital habits found that the United Arab Emirates is the most tech‑dependent country in the world. A new study by healthcare and dental marketing agency Click Finder analysed 28 nations to see where people rely most heavily on technology for everyday life.
- The UAE comes out on top, with residents spending nearly 8 hours per day on devices and almost every resident having a TikTok account.
- Both having keen Netflix and social media users, Norway and Australia secure second and third place.
- At the other end of the scale, Japan and Indonesia report lower screen time and less activity on social platforms.
The study looked at six key tech and media engagement factors. Daily device use and time spent on social media capture how much people lean on technology in their daily lives, and Internet access measures who can get online overall. Netflix adoption showed streaming habits, while Instagram and TikTok penetration reflected which social platforms have taken hold. Higher scores mean a stronger grip of technology on daily life.
Here are the 10 countries most hooked on technology:
| Country | Total Time Spent on Devices | Instagram Users per 100K | TikTok Users per 100K | Netflix Subscribers per 100K | TD Index |
| U.A.E | 7:59 | 67K | 94.3K | 2.2K | 79.4 |
| Norway | 5:37 | 51.6K | 32K | 24.9K | 75.6 |
| Australia | 6:05 | 53.5K | 36.3K | 24.3K | 72.6 |
| Singapore | 6:33 | 54.5K | 57.9K | 17K | 63.6 |
| USA | 6:40 | 49.7K | 42.6K | 19.2K | 58.1 |
| Sweden | 6:00 | 58.2K | 33.8K | 16.9K | 56.9 |
| Brazil | 9:09 | 66.7K | 48K | 7.2K | 53.8 |
| New Zealand | 6:32 | 47.9K | 36.4K | 19.2K | 53.2 |
| UK | 5:36 | 49.9K | 32.6K | 20.3K | 52.6 |
| Denmark | 5:10 | 49 | 23 | 18.4 | 52.5 |
You can access the complete research findings here.
1. The United Arab Emirates
- Total Time Spent on Devices: 7 hours, 59 minutes
- Instagram Users per 100K: 67K
- TikTok Users per 100K: 94.3K
- Netflix Subscribers per 100K: 2.2K
The UAE is the world’s most tech‑reliant nation. People here spend nearly eight hours a day on devices, roughly two hours more than the typical person in the study. The Internet reaches everyone, and social platforms are widely popular. More than nine out of ten residents use TikTok, and about two-thirds are on Instagram. Streaming services are a little less common, but the combination of heavy device use and strong platform adoption puts the UAE at the front.
2. Norway
Norway lands in second place, with residents logging five and a half hours of daily device time. What sets Norwegians apart is their use of streaming. Roughly one in four people subscribe to Netflix, one of the highest rates in the study, while Instagram reaches about half the population. Norwegians also lean on technology for banking, public services, and daily logistics, which shows dependence on the digital infrastructure as much as on online entertainment.
3. Australia
Australia grabs third place, with daily device use just over six hours. Streaming is just as common as in Norway, with roughly one in four people having a Netflix account. TikTok reaches more than one in three, and more than half of the population scrolls Instagram feeds every day. In addition to social media, Australians rely on screens for grocery shopping, government forms, and staying in touch.
4. Singapore
Singapore takes fourth place, with residents spending six and a half hours a day on devices. TikTok is especially popular here, with nearly six out of ten people using the platform. Streaming platforms like Netflix reach only about one in six, which is a much smaller audience than in Australia or Norway. The government has pushed hard for digital services and infrastructure like crypto platforms, so high‑speed Internet is practically everywhere, too.
5. The US
The United States comes in fifth, with a daily device time of six hours and forty minutes, among the highest in the top five. Roughly one in five people has a Netflix account, and about two in five use TikTok regularly. Instagram is even more common, with almost half the country using it daily. Americans rely on technology for work, entertainment, and social connections, but usage varies widely by region and age. The country’s size and infrastructure gaps mean digital life is not as uniform as in smaller, more wired nations.
A spokesperson from Click Finder commented on the topic:
“The healthcare industry has been transformed by the same forces that make countries tech‑dependent. Patients expect instant access, digital communication, and online verification. Practices that do not offer those things get left behind. The most successful healthcare providers are not just the ones with the best clinical outcomes. They are also the ones patients can find, book, and trust using the tools they already use every day.”
