A look at the world of social media shows that users most frequently share personal moments from their private lives. In a representative survey conducted by the digital association Bitkom among 1,032 Internet users aged 16 and over, including 593 users of social media, 53 percent of those surveyed stated that they share private topics in particular. Which topics Germans still deal with in social media.
There are clear differences between the sexes when it comes to sharing private content: 61 percent of women post personal content compared to 46 percent of men. In addition, younger people are particularly active when it comes to providing insights into their private lives. 66 percent of 16 to 29 year olds regularly post details from their personal lives. Among the 30 to 49 year olds it is still 54 percent, followed by 46 percent among the 50 to 64 year olds and 34 percent among the over 65 year olds.
Sharing holiday memories and travel experiences is the second most popular topic on social media. 42 percent of users state that they have already shared posts on this topic or have uploaded content. For another third of those surveyed (33 percent), “current events” are the reason for a post, although older people tend to feel addressed here: 43 percent of those over 65 and 43 percent of those aged 50 to 64 Year’s posts on current events. Among 30 to 49 year olds it is still 32 percent, while 25 percent of 16 to 29 year olds post on current topics.
On average, users of social media who create or share posts themselves move other topics more. The subject blocks “music” (27 percent), “sport and fitness” (26 percent) and “comedy and entertainment” (24 percent) are on a comparable level and are among the most common topics. This is followed by “health and medicine” (20 percent), “economy, business and finance” (16 percent), “technology and digital” (15 percent) and science (14 percent).
The topic of politics plays a less prominent role in social media. Only 13 percent of the under-30s comment on this in their posts, compared to 35 percent of the over-65s. Here there are clear differences between the generations. Nevertheless, Lina Wöstmann, consultant for media policy and platforms at Bitkom, emphasizes the importance of social media as a platform for the exchange of opinions and information: “On social media we can share our opinions and our own experiences, be creative, inform ourselves, be active on the digital Live life and stay connected with people around the world.”
