Authors

• Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE)
• 15/30 Research

Keywords

computer applications, digital culture, electronic equipment, information society, internet, internet use, mass media, media literacy, mobile communication, online services, radio (joukkoviestimet), social media

Abstract

The study charted Finnish Internet use, online behaviour, and use of consumer electronics and mobile devices. The study was produced in collaboration by the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) and 15/30 Research. The data are freely available on the Internet and licensed under Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0). The data creators have expressed their wish that any publications based on the data are linked to Finnish Broadcasting Company's 'Kehitys kehittyy' blog (http://blogit.yle.fi/kehitys-kehittyy/suomalaiset-verkossa-2013-puhelin-valloittaa-itselleen-lisaa-tilaa-suomalaisten) and that data users cite the original study.

The respondents were first asked how important various media were for them personally (e.g. news websites, social media, television services, peer-to-peer networks, books) and to what extent they agreed with a number of statements relating to news and media (e.g. "I'm worried about excessive media commercialisation").

Importance of various reasons and motivations for using the Internet were charted (e.g. "I search for the latest information on something", "I reminisce old times"). The respondents were asked how often they did different things on the Internet (e.g. write on forums, download music and series etc., use instant messaging services, use social media).

Some questions investigated the respondents' mobile phone use for different purposes, and whether the respondents owned a Smart TV and used online services on it. Various media websites and online services regularly used by the respondents were charted. Relating to Facebook, the respondents were asked to what extent they played games of Facebook, had more than one profile, were worried about how corporations or other people used their personal information, kept in touch with relatives and family over Facebook, liked companies or brands, and received information about hobbies or interests. Finally, computer use was investigated as well as opinions on the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) and its services.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, age, household composition, education, economic activitity and occupational status, province of residence, and type of municipality of residence.