The Internet in 2025: A Year of Explosive Growth,Shifting Power,and Emerging Vulnerabilities – Cloudflare Radar Report Analysis
December 15,2025 - The digital landscape underwent a notable change in 2025,marked by a surge in internet traffic,the rise of satellite connectivity,and a concerning increase in politically motivated internet disruptions. these key findings, detailed in the latest Cloudflare Radar Year in Review (version 6), paint a picture of an internet evolving at an unprecedented pace – and facing new challenges. This analysis delves into the report’s core insights, offering expert commentary on the implications for businesses, policymakers, and internet users alike.
A Global network Perspective: The Foundation of the Data
The Cloudflare Radar report carries significant weight due to the sheer scale of its data source. Cloudflare’s network,a critical infrastructure component for millions of websites,processes an average of 81 million HTTP requests per second,peaking at 129 million,and handles approximately 67 million DNS queries per second. This vast reach, spanning 330 cities across 125+ countries and regions, provides a uniquely extensive view of internet activity, going beyond simple website analytics to reveal broader trends in traffic, bot activity, security threats, and connectivity patterns. The report leverages this data, combined with other datasets, to deliver near-real-time insights into the health and evolution of the internet.
19% Global Traffic Growth: A Late-Year Surge
global internet traffic experienced a robust 19% growth in 2025, a notable acceleration compared to the 17% growth observed in 2024. Interestingly, this growth wasn’t consistent throughout the year. Cloudflare’s analysis reveals a phased pattern: relatively flat traffic through mid-April, a moderate increase to +5-7% by mid-August, and then a dramatic acceleration in September, October, and November, culminating in the year’s peak growth rate.
While past years (2022-2024) saw similar late-year surges beginning in July, the 2025 acceleration was delayed by several weeks.The reason for this delay remains unclear, prompting further investigation by Cloudflare’s analysts. This highlights the increasing complexity of predicting internet traffic patterns and the need for continuous monitoring.
the Rise of Satellite Connectivity: Starlink Leads the Charge
Perhaps the most striking trend identified in the report is the explosive growth of satellite communications, spearheaded by Starlink. Traffic associated with Starlink’s network (AS14593) more than doubled in 2025, with a 2.3x increase in total request volume. This growth was fueled by expansion into over 20 new countries and regions, demonstrating the transformative potential of satellite internet to bridge the digital divide and provide connectivity to underserved areas.
This isn’t simply about providing internet access; it’s about fundamentally changing where people can access the internet. Starlink’s ability to deliver reliable connectivity in remote locations opens up new opportunities for economic development, education, and disaster relief. The rapid traffic growth observed by Cloudflare consistently correlates with Starlink service launches in new territories, confirming its immediate impact.
Internet Outages: A Growing Threat,Increasingly Political
Despite the overall growth and innovation,the internet remains vulnerable. The report documented 174 major internet outages globally in 2025.Alarmingly, nearly half of these outages were the result of government-directed shutdowns, implemented for regional or national political control.
This trend represents a significant threat to freedom of expression, economic stability, and access to essential services. The increasing frequency of these politically motivated disruptions underscores the need for greater international cooperation to protect internet freedom and ensure reliable connectivity for all. beyond government actions, cable cuts – affecting both submarine and domestic fiber optic infrastructure - also remained a significant cause of disruptions, highlighting the physical vulnerabilities of the internet’s backbone.
Looking Ahead: A Rewired Internet and Evolving Threats
Cloudflare CEO and co-founder Matthew Prince aptly summarizes the current state of the internet: “The internet isn’t just changing, it’s being fundamentally rewired.” He points to the rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), the increasing sophistication of cyberattacks, and the evolving business models of online content creation as key drivers of this transformation.
The report also highlights the escalating scale of cyberattacks, forcing Cloudflare to block attacks that “redefined what ‘scale’ means.” This underscores the critical importance of robust cybersecurity measures and proactive threat intelligence. Furthermore, the challenges faced by
