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Published: 4 December 2018

The Internet is used ever more commonly with a mobile phone – even for shopping

Eighty-nine per cent of Finns aged 16 to 89 used the Internet in 2018 and 76 per cent used it several times a day. The Internet was most commonly used with a mobile phone, 75 per cent of the population. One quarter had bought something from the Internet with a mobile phone. Eight per cent of Finns had rented accommodation from a private person via online agency sites. Only three per cent had lost data from their phones due to malware.

Prevalence of Internet usage and certain purposes of use in 2018

	Used the Internet 1)	Usually uses the Internet several times a day	Used the Internet for calls or video calls 1)	Smartphone in own use	Followed some social network service 1)	Bought something on the web 1)	Rented accommodation directly from a private person through an online marketplace specialised in accommodation (e.g. Airbnb)	Bought something on the web with a mobile phone 2)
	Percentage share of population
16-24	100	98	62	99	93	56	9	39
25-34	99	97	54	97	87	72	16	50
35-44	100	96	56	96	84	76	13	46
45-54	98	87	42	90	71	56	10	21
55-64	93	72	33	80	46	32	4	9
65-74	78	47	21	59	29	17	2	3
75-89	40	19	9	24	10	7	0	1
	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..
Men	90	78	41	81	58	47	8	25
Women	88	74	40	79	64	46	8	25
All	89	76	40	80	61	47	8	25

1) During the past three months
2) During the past 12 months.

Eighty-nine per cent of the population aged 16 to 89 use the Internet. The share of users grew in 2018 only in the oldest age groups. This appears from Statistics Finland's survey on the use of information and communications technology. Finnish residents use the Internet most commonly with their mobile phones. Seventy-five per cent of the population aged 16 to 89 had been on the Internet with their mobile phones in the past three months. The Internet is used the second most commonly with a laptop (65%). Forty-one per cent had used the Internet with a tablet.

Finns use the Internet for everyday errands, communication, following the media and data search. The use of online banking is the most common everyday errand. Eighty-three per cent of persons aged 16 to 89 had used online banking in the past three months in 2018. Forty-seven per cent of the population had bought goods or services via the web in the past three months.

The prevalence of online shopping with a mobile phone has multiplied in the past decade. In 2018, one-quarter of persons aged 16 to 89 bought something using the mobile phone during the year. Nearly one-half of those aged under 45 had been shopping on the web with their phone. In the last few years, buying with a mobile phone has increased steadily in all age groups.

The data security of mobile phones has become more significant. However, actual data security risks are very rare in Finland. Only three per cent of persons aged 16 to 89, who had a smartphone in use, had sometimes lost data from their phone after getting a virus or other malware on it. Seventy per cent of smartphone users had a data security program or service in their phones. Finns take care of their privacy fairly generally. Sixty-six per cent of smartphone users had restricted applications’ access to their personal data.

Social media services are still popular in Finland. Sixty-one per cent of Finns aged 16 to 89 had followed some social media service in the past three months. The use of social network services is closely tied to age. Ninety-three per cent of those aged 16 to 24 and 87 per cent of persons aged 25 to 34 used a social network service.

The sharing economy grows in Finland, but it is not yet very widespread. In 2018, renting of short-term accommodation from a private person on the Internet through a sharing economy platform rose in popularity by three percentage points from the previous year, to eight per cent of the population aged 16 to 89. Correspondingly, transportation offered by private persons had been used by four per cent of those aged 16 to 89 in the past three months.

Source: Survey on Use of information and communications technology 2018, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Rauli Kohvakka 029 551 3448, Perttu Melkas 029 551 2511, tietoyhteiskunta.info@stat.fi

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

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Updated 4.12.2018