USAGE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICT) IN HOUSEHOLDS AND BY INDIVIDUALS, 2024

Tendencies

• The number of households equipped with a computer and internet access did not significantly differ from the previous year.
• Computer and internet usage is at the last year’s level in all age groups.
• The share of online buyers increased slightly; 52% of internet users bought goods and services online.

The survey results showed that the equipment of households with ICT in the Republic of Croatia did not change significantly compared to the previous year. The equipment of households with a computer and internet access in the previous four years shows little variation. There is a high probability that both indicators have reached saturation.

The distribution of computer users among age groups did not change significantly compared to the previous year. The youngest population still maintained the lead in computer usage and the number of users was decreasing proportionally with age. A similar trend was noticed in the employment status structure, where pupils and students, as the youngest group, were the most frequent computer users.

An increase was noticed in almost all age groups of internet users compared to the previous year. As expected, the youngest population still maintained the lead in internet usage and the number of users was decreasing proportionally with age. A similar trend was noticed in the employment status structure, where pupils and students, as the youngest group, were the most frequent internet users.

The comparison of the results with data from the previous year showed that habits had not changed much. Individuals mostly used the internet for sending messages (91%), obtaining information on goods and services (88%), using e-mail (85%), reading daily news and magazines (85%), watching video (78%) and telephony and video conferencing (75%).

The survey results showed that commerce via the internet had increased. There were 52% of internet users who purchased goods and services via the internet, which is an increase of 2% compared to the previous year. Buyers' habits show that the most often bought items were clothes and shoes, tickets for events, telecommunication services and cosmetics.

A very small number of respondents stated that they use some of the Internet of Things systems in their homes. In all mentioned categories, less than 15% of respondents use some of the systems.

The largest number of respondents declared that there is no need for such a system (66%). An equal number of respondents declared that they do not use the system because they are concerned about privacy and data protection on devices and the security of the system due to the potential risk of hacking. Furthermore, 24% of the respondents declared that the high price of the devices is an obstacle to their use, while 17% of the respondents do not even know that such a system exists.

NOTES ON METHODOLOGY

The purpose of the statistical survey

Data shown in this First Release are estimates obtained through the IKT-DOM Survey. This is an annual survey on the usage of information and communication technologies (ICT) in households and by individuals. It provides information on computer and information literacy of the Croatian population. This survey measures the usage of computers and other information and communication technologies as well as the number of persons in the Republic of Croatia who use the internet and for what purposes. The data are an important source for conducting policies in the field of information society in the Republic of Croatia and in the EU.

Legal framework

The IKT-DOM Survey was conducted in 2024 according to Eurostat guidelines and on the basis of the Official Statistics Act (NN, Nos 25/20 and 155/23). The same surveys were conducted in all EU Member States and, therefore, data are internationally comparable. The international data are available at the following website address: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Digital_economy_and_society.

Concepts and definitions used in the Survey are in line with the EU Methodology for Statistics on the Information Society, 2024, and in particular with the basic Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning Community social statistics.

Observation units

The observation units are persons aged 16 to 74 and their households. Selected persons answer the questionnaire. In case of their absence, another household member can answer instead, but on behalf of the selected person.

Reference period

All questions in the survey refer to the period of three months prior to the beginning of the survey.

Sampling frame and size

The basis for the sampling frame is the 2021 Census of Population, Households and Dwellings of the Republic of Croatia and directories of telephone companies. The sample size was 5 498 persons aged 16 to 74 at the time of data collection.

Data collection method

The data were collected by computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) and via the internet by using the online questionnaire (CAWI).

Response rate

Out of the total sample size (5 498 units), 5 442 units were eligible and 3 340 persons took part in the survey. It means that the response rate was 61% and the eligibility rate was 99%.

Definitions and explanations

Broadband are technologies or connections that enable rapid transmission of data, especially films, games, videoconferences over an internet network (e.g. ADSL, cable connection, UMTS, optical connection, VDSL, leased lines).

E-commerce means buying or ordering goods and services over the internet. Typed e-mails are not considered e-commerce.

ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) are software and hardware used for data communication (e.g. computer, fax, the internet, fixed mobile phone).

Internet is a worldwide network of computers, communicating based on standard internet protocols that enable users to exchange textual and audio-visual information.

UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) is also known as 3G technology, which was designed as a successor to GSM. It enables users to transmit images, videos, high volume of data through a wireless connection and access the internet.

Internet-of-Things (IoT) implies a system of interconnected computer devices, mechanical and digital machines, and objects that can communicate and transmit data via a network without the need for human access and human interaction. Objects in such a system can be set up via the internet, programmed to perform tasks, and can also exchange data with each other.

Education is divided as follows:

• basic education; includes persons without schooling or with incomplete primary education and persons who have finished primary school
• secondary education; includes persons with upper secondary general or vocational education
• tertiary education; includes persons with higher non-academic education, persons with professionally oriented higher education, faculty education, persons with post-graduate education, and master’s and doctoral studies.

Abbreviations
ADSL	Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
EU	European Union
Eurostat	Statistical Office of the European Union
NN	Narodne novine, official gazette of the Republic of Croatia
GSM	Global System for Mobile Communications
VDSL	Very-High-Bit-Rate Digital Subscriber Line

The survey whose data is published in this release has been conducted with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.

 

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Mario Vlajčević, Director of the Demographic and Social Statistics Directorate
Lidija Brković, Director General

Prepared by:
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