What are the latest figures on media use among both the total Dutch population and among the different generations (divided by age)? I will take you along the most interesting results.
It is already the 17th edition of the annual ‘What’s Happening Online?’ research by research agency Ruigrok. The agency examines the online consumer behavior of more than two thousand Dutch people aged 14 and older. Always an interesting measurement point, because although there will be no big surprises, it is always good to be informed.
It is important to note that the results of the study are broken down by generation and age. Generation Z includes young people between the ages of 14 and 27, Millennials are between the ages of 28 and 42, Generation X is between the ages of 43 and 62, and Baby Boomers are between the ages of 63 and 78.
Smartphone wins over laptop/desktop, YouTube still very popular
Although the smartphone has become an indispensable device for surfing the internet, the laptop/desktop has still dominated the past few years as the most used device. This year (2024), the smartphone will beat the laptop/desktop as the device with which people most often access the internet.
On average, people use three devices that are connected to the internet and the vast majority watch video content (TV, videos, films or series) via the internet. The TV is still used the most (48%) and we even see a slight increase compared to previous years. 34% use the smartphone to watch video content. YouTube remains popular: 63% use YouTube at least weekly, especially to watch music videos. Among Generation Z and Millennials, weekly use is over 80%.
Gen Z heavy users use social media less
There are no major changes in social media use within the total Dutch population. WhatsApp remains by far the most used channel, followed by Facebook. Although a significant decrease can be seen here compared to last year.
Instagram continues to steadily increase in use, while X (formerly Twitter) shows a decrease. It is striking that the use of WhatsApp, Facebook, telegram database users list Instagram and Snapchat among Generation Z has decreased significantly compared to last year. Nevertheless, this generation remains a heavy user of Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat and TikTok. Millennials are the biggest users of LinkedIn, while Generation X is the most active on Facebook. The use of X continues to decrease and even decreases significantly among Generation X.
Use of social media networks of the generations
Fake news difficult to recognize
One of the most cited reasons for using social media is to follow the news (46%). However, 1 in 5 social media users find it difficult to spot fake news on social media, with Baby Boomers finding this more difficult than younger generations (25% vs. 17% for Gen Z, 14% for Millennials and 19% for Gen X).
Social media is also often used to look Дакле како можете исправно up information (50%), get inspiration (39%) or view reviews and reactions from others (37%). Generation Z and Millennials use social media more often than Generation usa lists X and Baby Boomers to get inspiration, stay up to date on trends and developments and discover new products and brands. Baby Boomers follow brands and companies significantly less than other generations. Not surprisingly: Generation Z has a preference for influencers.
