The UK Guardian reports one in three young people say they are not willing to pay for online services such as digital music and video downloads, according to a report published by the European Commission. The wide-ranging report, which looks at the competitiveness of Europe’s digital sector over the past five years, found that 16- to 24-year-olds have a hardline attitude to online payment systems.
Digital Competitiveness found that 33% of the so-called “digital generation” appear to be reluctant to pay at all to download or view online content, twice the average across the EU.
While the statistic appears to confirm the worst fears of TV, film, music and newspaper companies that it may be impossible to get the younger generation to pay online, the EC report did offer a glimmer of hope.
The report found that 10% of 16- to 24-year-olds had paid for such online services, twice the level of the EU average.
Digital Competitiveness also found that the younger age group are more willing to pay for offers of better quality and service.
The report found that 16- to 24-year-olds are by far the most active internet users, with 73% making use of what it terms “advanced services” to create and share content online. This is more than twice the 35% average across all European internet users. Digital Competitiveness also found that two thirds of Europeans under 24 use the internet every day, compared with the 43% EU average.
