“Internet economy” is that part of the economy that is based on the Internet and whose structure and functional logic are significantly shaped by the specific characteristics of the Internet.

“Internet economy” is thus the teaching, practice and institution of the systematic approach to meeting human needs under the conditions of given scarcity in the context of systems whose structure and functional logic is decisively shaped by the interconnection of actors and objects via the Internet.

The word “Internet economy” in the sectoral sense refers to those sectors of the economy whose value creation, transaction, allocation, distribution and profit creation is directly based on the use of the Internet.

The terms online economy, network economy and cyber economy are used synonymously. Superordinate terms are “digital economy” and “digital economy”.