Hungary, the most socially networked country in the European Union

According to ozy.com, it would be a misconception to think that the most devoted social media users come from Germany or Finland. In the mind of most of us, we have a great utopia in connection with these countries from where technological advances start and probably, we would guess that actually they are in leading position.

Instead, it is like a bolt from the blue to get the information that it is Hungary, the home of goulash soup and George Soros where the most eager  network users live. According to the recent study, 83% of the Hungarian Internet users reveal that they are on social media as well, that is considered to be the highest rate in whole Europe. Indeed, the study (.pdf) on Digital Economy and Society in the EU conducted by Eurostat highlights that it is 20% more than the average of the EU. This is not the only study, however, that offers unanticipated results. The same survey with 6,018 Hungarian participants reported an enormously high rate (97%) of Hungarian people between the ages 16-24 who are on social media networks of different types. This high percentage is in competition for the 1st place with the similar results-produced countries like Belgium and Denmark.

Anyway, this news probably amazes people at 1st sight. The reason for this suprising result might root in the history of Hungary. Eva Bognar, a senior programme officer at the Central European University’s Center for Media, Data and Society pointed out that

the severe communist  rule in the late 20th century can be put to blame for making people turn away from the legitimized structures and public life towards their own private social networks.

The programme officer further added that the examination of this issue is the subject of studies done by social historians who investigate the prominence of these personal circles as opposed to institutions.