Social networks
Internet penetration is high in Sweden, as in all the Nordic countries. About 95 percent of the population has access to the internet. Ownership of digital devices is widespread: over 90 percent own a computer, 75 percent own a smartphone and 60 percent own a tablet. The preconditions for internet use are thus advantageous.
Swedes use social media more than traditional media online, independent of the particular device used: 52 percent and 34 percent, respectively, on an average day. Facebook, Instagram and Youtube are the most used networks in general. Around half of the population has an account on Facebook. Regarding news, young people state that Facebook is their main supplier.
However, differences can also be seen among young people. Instagram is by far the most popular social media platform among children between 9 and 16 years of age, however, for older ages, Facebook dominates (with no option to answer Youtube on this question). Snapchat is also widely used, as well as Twitter, among youngsters.
Since Google and Facebook are international companies who not declare their revenue for specific country operations, it is hard to evaluate their exact impact. Both are on the list of the world’s top-ten biggest media companies.