It’s official: The youngest generation lives their lives online. A new study has found Gen Z relies on digital media for entertainment and social connections first, a departure from older generations that use the Internet mainly for information. The digital experience is their human experience. These digital natives expect to have constant access to the online world and want their digital experiences to be free, secure, authentic, transparent and personalized.
A majority of the young generation, 86% of Gen Z respondents told pollsters they think first of social media when they think about a digital experience, while 93% of Boomers and 88% of Gen X think of email first. Gen Z also values authenticity more than security in their online experiences, as opposed to their elders, and have higher expectations that technology will replace real-world experiences in the near future, such as shopping, going to church and dating. The report, The Future of Digital Experiences, is based on a survey of 1,257 U.S. respondents performed by The Center for Generational Kinetics and sponsored by WP Engine.
Check out the slide show below for some topline results from the study and visit the study’s website to learn more and download a copy of the white paper and infographic.
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