Statistics Austria:

No knowledge, no use: 5% live “offline”

Between April and July 2023, one in 20 people in Austria aged between 16 and 74 stated that they had not used the internet in the three months prior to the survey.

(Bild: ©kebox - stock.adobe.com)

Internet use is often a question of age and education: "While there are hardly any people between the ages of 16 and 44 who do not use the internet, over a fifth of 65 to 74-year-olds live offline," said Tobias Thomas, Director General of Statistics at Statistics Austria, on Thursday.

Between April and July 2023, one in 20 people in Austria aged between 16 and 74 stated that they had not used the internet in the three months prior to the survey. The main reasons given were a lack of knowledge and no recognizable benefit, according to an analysis carried out by Statistics Austria on behalf of the Federal Chancellery.

Five percent of 16 to 74-year-olds in Austria therefore do not use the Internet, which is primarily a question of age and education. People with a school-leaving certificate or university degree are "almost all online", while twelve percent of those with a compulsory school-leaving certificate or less do not use the internet.

Among the so-called offline users, only 15 percent were interested in using the Internet in the future. The majority of non-users cited a lack of knowledge (77 percent) and the equipment required (70 percent).

Other reasons given were the lack of recognizable benefits of the Internet (69 percent) and that other people do things for them on the Internet (61 percent). According to Statistics Austria, rejection in principle (60 percent) and security concerns (48 percent) were also widespread.