A new cross-national study by researchers at University College London and the University of British Columbia finds that people with higher digital skills report greater concern about privacy, online misinformation, and work-life disruption linked to digital technologies.
The research, published in Information, Communication & Society, analyzed European Social Survey data from nearly 50,000 respondents across 29 European countries and Israel between 2020 and 2022. Participants’ views on privacy infringement, misinformation, and work interruptions were combined into a digital concern scale ranging from 0 to 1.
Millennials aged 25 to 44 reported higher concern levels than younger and older age groups. No significant differences were found by gender, income, or urban–rural residence. Concern was lowest in Bulgaria and highest in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
The study found that people with greater digital literacy expressed more concern, particularly among frequent internet users, suggesting increased awareness and exposure may heighten unease rather than reduce it.
"Figure 2 depicts people’s digital concerns across the 30 countries. The results show an overall high level of digital concerns, with a mean of 0.65 on the 0–1 scale."
H/T: Taylorandfrancisgroup
Notes: This post was drafted with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed, edited, and published by humans.
Read next: The ‘AI Homeless Man Prank’ reveals a crisis in AI education
The research, published in Information, Communication & Society, analyzed European Social Survey data from nearly 50,000 respondents across 29 European countries and Israel between 2020 and 2022. Participants’ views on privacy infringement, misinformation, and work interruptions were combined into a digital concern scale ranging from 0 to 1.
Millennials aged 25 to 44 reported higher concern levels than younger and older age groups. No significant differences were found by gender, income, or urban–rural residence. Concern was lowest in Bulgaria and highest in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
The study found that people with greater digital literacy expressed more concern, particularly among frequent internet users, suggesting increased awareness and exposure may heighten unease rather than reduce it.
"Figure 2 depicts people’s digital concerns across the 30 countries. The results show an overall high level of digital concerns, with a mean of 0.65 on the 0–1 scale."
H/T: Taylorandfrancisgroup
Notes: This post was drafted with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed, edited, and published by humans.
Read next: The ‘AI Homeless Man Prank’ reveals a crisis in AI education
