According to Britannica the word ‘statistics’ is ‘the science of collecting, analysing, presenting, and interpreting data’ (www.britannica.com, accessed 24-10-2023). In other words, a vast amount of information which needs to be analysed. It certainly is no easy task, and when one starts looking at statistics, you can become like Alice and go down the rabbit hole with all the information out there.
The question is where does one start when considering that you have a Google search engine spewing out so much information that you feel overwhelmed?
DataReportal, in partnership with a software as a service company specialising in media monitoring, Meltwater, and We Are Social, released the Digital 2023 Global Overview Report consisting of over 400 pages of data. DataReportal Chief Analyst, Simon Kemp, reports that over the past 12 months, ‘the world’s digital behaviours have shown some of the most profound changes we’ve seen in years, even compared with “the pandemic years”. And in fact, our top story in this year’s report doesn’t relate to digital growth, but to an overall decline in the amount of time that each individual spends using the Internet’.
Mr Kemp added that ‘it’s important to stress that this decline doesn’t indicate that the Internet is becoming less important in our lives … . Rather, it suggests that people are becoming more purposeful in their use of digital technologies.’
In the Digital 2023 October Global Statshot Report it states that research reveals that South Africans spend the greatest amount of time online, with the ‘typical’ user in the country now spending roughly nine and a half hours per day using connected devices and services. The worldwide average is just over six hours per day.
| De Rebus | |||
| Social media platform | August 2021 | August 2022 | August 2023 |
| 2 583 | 3 731 | 5 521 | |
| 19 391 | 21 553 | 24 836 | |
| 9 499 | 10 731 | 11 600 | |
In the last issue of SA Lawyer, I wrote an article ‘What are the digital statistics of De Rebus telling us?’ (2022 (Sept) SA Lawyer 8). In the article I wrote: ‘I can gladly report that the De Rebus numbers have increased significantly over the past few years,’ and I can confirm that the numbers have increased again this year.
For the period of 1 to 30 September 2023, the number of unique browsers (users who have initiated at least one session during the date range) to the De Rebus website (www.derebus.org.za) amounted to 60 871. The amount of unique page views totalled 248 927. The page views are the total number of pages viewed and according to statistics, every unique browser has viewed an average of 4,09 pages per month on the website.
Did you know that you can subscribe to the De Rebus website? You can create a profile by visiting www.derebus.org.za and you can become a part of the 15 015 people who have already created a profile on the website.
De Rebus can be found on three social media platforms, namely, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. The table below is a comparison of the growth from August 2021 to August 2023.
On 6 October 2023, De Rebus launched a WhatsApp Channel. At the time of going to press the number of followers on the channel stood at 638. Follow the WhatsApp Channel by visiting: https://whatsapp.com.
The De Rebus also has an App, which can be downloaded for free from the Apple iStore and Google Play Store. The number of users who have downloaded the App as at August 2023, currently stands at 10 196.
The PDF version of De Rebus can be downloaded digitally (free of charge) from the De Rebus website. The journal is loaded on the first day of every month and can be kept on your digital device to read at your leisure. De Rebus sends out a newsletter, informing readers when the latest issue is available. If you are not one of the 60 189 readers who are receiving the newsletter, you can opt in by e-mailing: Kathleen@derebus.org.za.
Missing the hard copy of De Rebus?
If you miss the hard copy and would still like to hold the journal in your hands, you can subscribe to De Rebus. Subscribers will receive their copies via registered post. Download the subscription form from the De Rebus website and receive 11 issues of De Rebus, as well as hard copies of the Risk Alert Bulletin, published by the Legal Practitioners Indemnity Insurance Fund NPC.
Advertising opportunities
De Rebus has several advertising opportunities for advertisers who would like to reach the profession and we can tailor-make advertising proposals for your company. There are several avenues to advertise on, namely, the PDF and printed journal, the website, the newsletter, on the App or in the Classifieds online or the Classifieds PDF supplement. Advertisers are welcome to download the rate card from the De Rebus website at www.derebus.org.za.
Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) digital overview
The LSSA has found footing on four social media platforms, namely, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. The table to the right shows the comparison from August 2022 to August 2023.
| Law Society of South Africa | ||
| Digital platform | August 2022 | August 2023 |
| Facebook followers | 10 238 | 14 877 |
| Instagram followers | 7 097 | 8 783 |
| LinkedIn followers | 41 258 | 50 762 |
| Twitter followers | 29 709 | 34 360 |
| LSSA website unique browsers | 36 771 | 33 650 |
| Page views on LSSA website | 95 875 | 63 847 |
Legal Education and Development (LEAD) digital overview
The LSSA’s LEAD division has two social media platforms, namely, Facebook and LinkedIn. The table shows the comparison from August 2022 to August 2023.
On 12 October 2023, LEAD launched its WhatsApp Channel. At the time of going to press the number of followers on the channel stood at 293. Follow the WhatsApp Channel by visiting: https://whatsapp.com.
| Legal Education and Development | ||
| Digital platform | August 2022 | August 2023 |
| Facebook followers | 7 628 | 10 049 |
| LinkedIn followers | 15 484 | 19 585 |
| LSSA website unique browsers | 27 330 | 24 484 |
| Page views on LSSA website | 186 137 | 100 599 |
Conclusion
According to Mr Kemp, ‘the world isn’t just going online to find information though, even if that remains the primary reason why people use the Internet today. We’re also spending more time than ever streaming content over the Internet, more people than ever are buying things online, and we’re also using an ever-wider range of connected devices.’
Whatever device you are using, whether a desktop, laptop, iPad or mobile phone, remember to bookmark the LSSA, LEAD and De Rebus websites and follow the social media platforms for the latest updates from the profession and its stakeholders.
Kathleen Kriel BTech (Journ) is the Production Editor at De Rebus.
This article was first published in SA Lawyer in 2024 (January) DR 17.
