2024 Solar Eclipse: When The Sun Took A Break, So Did The Internet

A new report from content delivery network company Cloudflare Inc NET shows the brief total solar eclipse Tuesday brought people together and away from the internet and social media.

What Happened: While many photos and videos were taken of the total solar eclipse and have been shared on social media, data from Cloudflare shows that for several minutes, internet traffic dropped.

The report said that in the United States, internet traffic based on bytes delivered was down 8% from the same time in the previous week. Traffic requests were down 12% during the solar eclipse compared to the previous week.

Many states were in the path of the total solar eclipse, with some being in the path of totality. Data from Cloudflare shows that internet traffic was down even more in the states that were in the totality path of the eclipse.

Here were some of the states that saw the highest drop in internet traffic during the eclipse compared to the same time in the prior week.

• Vermont: -60%
• Arkansas: -54%
• Indiana: -50%
• Maine: -48%
• Ohio: -40%
• Kentucky: -33%
• Michigan: -32%
• Missouri: -31%
• Oklahoma: -29%
• New York: -29%

Other states that weren't in the direct path saw smaller drops in internet traffic, like California and Florida, which were down 9% and 7% respectively. Some states, like Washington, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, saw no change in internet traffic during the solar eclipse.

The Cloudflare report also showed traffic drops in Mexico and Canada as the countries experienced the total solar eclipse.

Related Link: Total Solar Eclipse 2024: Where And How To Watch The ‘Ring Of Fire’ Safely

Why It's Important: According to Cloudflare, the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse was the most visible eclipse in the contiguous United States until the next one on August 23, 2044.

Many workers and schools stopped what they were doing to experience the solar eclipse, which is evident in the internet traffic data.

Along with a surge in sales of solar eclipse glasses, internet searches for concerns over eye pain spiked after the event.

Cloudflare reports that the "internet is a human's game" and key human and nature-related events can have huge impacts on Internet traffic.

Benzinga previously shared data that 10 of the last 13 total solar eclipses visible in the United States have been followed by gains for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which is tracked by the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust DIA.

This includes a gain of 25.1% in 2017 and a 44% gain in 1954. The three years that saw declines were 1923, 1930 and 1932.

Several companies could also benefit from the total solar eclipse including airlines and hotels that saw increases in bookings related to regions in the path of totality.

Airbnb Inc ABNB could stand out as a potential winner with data showing a surge in bookings and searches for rentals located near the path of totality.

Even if for a brief moment, the total solar eclipse brought people outside to enjoy nature and see the moon pass between Earth and the Sun. People in the United States put their computers down and stopped using their smartphones, other than to take pictures of the event.

Read Next: High-Flying Eclipse Adventure: Secure Your Seat On This Airline For The Ultimate Solar Spectacle

Image generated using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.