A Studentaanhuis survey of 1,007 Dutch adults uncovers that one in six people struggles to keep up with digital developments. One in four adults over 55 finds new software, devices, and apps hard to navigate. Strikingly, one in five young adults aged 18-24 fears making mistakes when fixing digital issues.
Frustration runs high: more than half of respondents get irritated when mobiles don't work as expected, climbing to 69% among youth. Self-reliance varies by gender—three-quarters of men tackle device problems solo, while over a quarter doubt their partner's skills. One in three women feels like hurling their phone out the window in anger, and more than one in ten expects their partner to handle all fixes.
Thirteen percent feel ashamed over minor unsolved mobile glitches—14% of older adults versus 10% of youth. Yet nearly half can't imagine life without internet. No access leaves one in three feeling excluded, a quarter helpless, and over one in ten young people lonely without social media. That's why 70% maintain reliable WiFi house-wide.
