Study: Latvians will spend around 5 years of their lives on social networks

 


About 65% of Latvians use social networks for more than two hours a day, according to a survey conducted by Tele2 and Norstat. Assuming that this trend continues, one person in Latvia will spend about 5 years of their life on social networks*.

According to the survey, 88% of people in Latvia use social networks. Interestingly, social networks are less popular among men, with almost a fifth of men saying they do not use social networks. 

"Five years is a long time in the context of a person's life, so it is important to assess how much and to whom we devote it. We can use social networks to 'kill time' by scrolling mindlessly, but we can also find valuable information for work and hobbies, find inspiration, follow news and updates, create interesting content, engage in valuable discussions with industry professionals and so on. Therefore, our call is to be aware of the benefits and losses, as well as to find a balance in today's technological world," says Raivo Rost, Commercial Director of Tele2. 

Looking at the survey data in more detail, it can be seen that 36% of the Latvian population spends one hour a day on social networks, 34% - two hours, three hours - 16%, and four or more hours - 14% of the population. Unsurprisingly, young people aged 18-29 are the group that spends the most time on social networks. For example, a quarter of young people spend more than four hours on social networks every day.

"Ulf Daniel Euler, in his study on future competences that should be taught in universities, highlights skills related to self-management and self-governance, which overlap with what philosophers call self-care. In today's age of information overload, we cannot simply let the information flow, we must learn to control it and incorporate it meaningfully into our lives," says philosopher, publicist and assistant professor at the Department of Philosophy and Ethics at the University of Latvia, Artis Svece. 

The survey of the Latvian population was carried out in cooperation with Norstat in August 2023, with 1004 respondents aged between 18 and 70.

* The calculation takes into account that social networks are actively used for two hours a day between the ages of 16 and 70.

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