Intergenerational differences in the digital age : A quantitative assessment of internet use and online media consumption across five generations in Sweden

Abstract: This study highlights the importance of considering generational factors in the pursuit of understanding online media consumption. This thesis argues that previous explanations of why people may or may not consume news and political information are insufficient on their own. To gain a more comprehensive understanding of how people are using the internet and how people engage with political information and media online, generational factors must also be considered. This is done through quantitively examining the correlations between social media use and the number of online media sites visited within a week through five different generations using Swedish survey data from 2016 and 2020. The results of the analysis are mixed, as clear differences in online media consumption between the generations could be identified in 2020 whilst it could not in 2016. The general findings indicates that social media use is positively correlated with online media consumption, and that these correlations vary to a certain degree between different generations. The results of the analysis should not be interpreted as showing causality, but rather as an introductory overview that could inform future research on the role of generations online.