Social media and Generation Z
Redes Sociales y Generación Z
doxa.comunicación |
nº 36, pp. 381-399
| 381
January-June of 2023
ISSN: 1696-019X / e-ISSN: 2386-3978
How to cite this article:
Marugán Solís, F. and Martín Critikián, D. (2023). Social media and Generation Z.
Doxa Comunicación
, 36, pp. 381-399.
https://doi.org/10.31921/doxacom.n36a1707
Fernando Marugán Solís.
PhD in Audiovisual Communication and Advertising from the Complutense University of
Madrid since 2014. Professor of Advertising Creativity at the San Pablo CEU University since the 2010-11 academic year,
where I have directed La Agencia and Club de Creatividad, two extracurricular proposals for the development of cre
-
ativity of students of the Degree in Advertising and Public Relations. Prior to teaching, I have worked for 25 years in
advertising agencies such as McCann Erickson, Publicis, RK People or
Zamorano Asociados
, winning several national
and international awards (
Clio New York Festivals, Fiap, El Sol, EFI, Ampe, Anuncios
, etc.). As a professor, he has won the
Cardenal Herrera Award for Best Teaching Work in 2014.
CEU San Pablo University, Spain
[email protected]
ORCID: 0000-0002-6948-4096
Davinia Martín Critikián.
PhD in Communication from the University Camilo José Cela. From 2017 to 2022 I have
been working at San Pablo CEU University combining teaching with management and research. I am currently living
in Indonesia for a research stay and lecturer in the LSPR Communication and Business Institute. My lines of research
are communication trends, consumer behavior and social media. Before my teaching experience at San Pablo CEU
University, I worked at the International University of La Rioja, developing unpublished syllabi and teaching online.
LSPR Communication and Business Institute, Indonesia
[email protected]
ORCID: 0000-0002-6921-4707
Abstract:
is article seeks to analyse the currently evolution of the uses of Social
Media. e Generation Z are changing the relationship between users
of social networks, evolving towards a more active role. We have two
objectives in this article: analyse how young people interact with Social
Media and what contents they prefer. Within a context in which COVID
19 has made change this relationships. In order to know these uses,
a qualitative and also a quantitative study has been carried out, with
surveys between young people (11-18 years old).
Keywords:
Communication; advertising; social networks; generation Z; Lifestyle.
Resumen:
Este artículo busca analizar la evolución de los usos de las Redes So
-
ciales que se están produciendo actualmente. La llamada Generación Z
está cambiando la relación de los usuarios de las redes, evolucionando
hacia un papel más activo. Por esta razón, nos hemos marcado como
objetivos ver cómo interactúan los jóvenes con las Redes Sociales y qué
contenidos son sus preferidos. Todo ello, dentro de un contexto en el que
la COVID 19 ha hecho evolucionar estas relaciones con las Redes So
-
ciales. Para conocer estos usos se ha realizado un estudio cualitativo y
también cuantitativo, con encuestas a jóvenes de entre 11 y 18 años.
Palabras clave:
Comunicación; publicidad; redes sociales; generación Z; estilo de vida.
Received: 31/05/2022 - Accepted: 20/07/2022 - Early access: 24/10/2022 - Published: 01/01/2023
Recibido: 31/05/2022 - Aceptado: 20/07/2022 - En edición: 24/10/2022 - Publicado: 01/01/2023
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January-June of 2023
Social media and Generation Z
ISSN: 1696-019X / e-ISSN: 2386-3978
doxa.comunicación
1. Introduction
Social Networks do not stop transforming constantly since their creation (Orben, 2020), generating changes that are impacting
both users and advertisers who rely on them as part of their marketing strategy (Ayala López & Santamaría, 2019). erefore, it
is essential to be aware of the rapidly emerging new developments, as many of them will be relevant and will transform the role
of the Social Networks users (García & López de Ayala, 2020). e user of Social Networks becomes the focus of all companies
that are investing into listening and dialoguing with them, through each customer’s preferred channel, in order to get to know
them better and personalize interactions (López de Ayala, Vizcaíno & Montes, 2021). e objective is the same as traditionally:
to attract and retain customers through advertising and promotional messages (De Chollet, 1990). Now, however, it is the
customer who has the power of decision and social networks the key for brands to interact with them.
Initially, according to Van Dijk, the key for success of social networks was massication (Núñez, 2019), whereas nowadays the
trend is personalization and segmentation, allowing to target dierent market niches (De Frutos & Pastor, 2021). e trend in
digitalisation is to humanise the content, the messages and adapt reality to virtuality as closely as possible (Vizcaíno, Catalina
& López de Ayala, 2019). A digital ecosystem that is nourished by feelings and emotions, rather than rational content.
e aim of this research is to analyse how social networks have evolved from 2010 to the present day, as well as to determine
the communicative behaviors and consumption of young people through social networks.
2. State of the question and hypotheses
2.1. Evolution of social networks from 2010 to 2022
One of the biggest changes that have taken place in the last 12 years through social networks is the interactions based on the
construction of personal proles and the connections with other users by sharing and exchanging dierent private and public
messages using a variety of media. us, virtual connections have been created that are as real as those “face-to-face” (Calderón
et al, 2019). According Fandos and Tello (2009) it has change the point-to-multipoint model to a multipoint-multipoint model
(Figures 1, 2).
All this interactivity is further enhanced in chat rooms, newsgroups, noticeboards, network games, forms, surveys, le
transfer programmes or e-mail. Blogs, forums and online social networks converge, the latter being the new ICT era. is
means a rupture of space-time versus traditional media: instantaneousness, universality, almost innite storage capacity and
hypertextuality allows the user to enjoy a personalized, unlimited communication experience. Since 2010, authors are able to
easily publish content online (graphic, audiovisual or text). is means, the author now has the power to decide what, when
and where to publish, opposed to previously the publisher, reaching a situation with far less lters for publishing content
(Peña, 2010).
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Figure 1. Point-to-multipoint mode
Toda esa interactividad se potencia en mayor medida en los chats, grupos de noticias,
tablones de anuncios, juegos en red, formularios, encuestas, programas de transferencia
de archivos y correo electrónico. Convergen los
blogs,
los foros y las redes sociales en
l
ínea, siendo estas últimas las que marcan la nueva etapa de las TIC. Esto supone la
ruptura del espacio
-
tiempo sobre los medios tradicionales, la instantaneidad, la
universalidad, una infinita capacidad de almacenamiento y la hipertextualidad que
permite al usuario disfrutar de una experiencia comunicativa personalizada sin límites. A
partir de 2010, empieza a surgir la posibilidad de que el autor pueda editar en la web, de
tal manera que el propio autor de contenido
-
ya sea material gráfico, audiovisual o de
lectura-
va a tener el poder de decidir si puede publicar su obra, y no el antiguo editor.
Hemos llegado a un punto en el que hay muchos menos filtros para la publicación de
contenidos
(Peña
, 2010).
Figura 1. Modelo punto
-multipunto
Fuente
:
A
daptado del
Modelo punto
-multipunto
de Fandos y Tello, 2009
Figura 2. Modelo multipunto
-multipunto
Fuente:
A
daptado de
Modelo multipunto
-multipunto
de Fandos y Tello, 2009
Source: Adapted from
Modelo punto-multipunto
of Fandos and Tello, 2009
Figure 2. Multipoint-multipoint model
Toda esa interactividad se potencia en mayor medida en los chats, grupos de noticias,
tablones de anuncios, juegos en red, formularios, encuestas, programas de transferencia
de archivos y correo electrónico. Convergen los
blogs,
los foros y las redes sociales en
l
ínea, siendo estas últimas las que marcan la nueva etapa de las TIC. Esto supone la
ruptura del espacio
-
tiempo sobre los medios tradicionales, la instantaneidad, la
universalidad, una infinita capacidad de almacenamiento y la hipertextualidad que
permite al usuario disfrutar de una experiencia comunicativa personalizada sin límites. A
partir de 2010, empieza a surgir la posibilidad de que el autor pueda editar en la web, de
tal manera que el propio autor de contenido
-
ya sea material gráfico, audiovisual o de
lectura-
va a tener el poder de decidir si puede publicar su obra, y no el antiguo editor.
Hemos llegado a un punto en el que hay muchos menos filtros para la publicación de
contenidos
(Peña
, 2010).
Figura 1. Modelo punto
-multipunto
Fuente
:
A
daptado del
Modelo punto
-multipunto
de Fandos y Tello, 2009
Figura 2. Modelo multipunto
-multipunto
Fuente:
A
daptado de
Modelo multipunto
-multipunto
de Fandos y Tello, 2009
Source:
A
dapted from
Modelo multipunto-multpunto
de Fandos and Tello, 2009
384
| nº 36, pp. 381-399 |
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Social media and Generation Z
ISSN: 1696-019X / e-ISSN: 2386-3978
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Web 1.0 consisted of access to information generated by editors and webmasters; there was no user participation and users were
limited to the role of passive receivers. Since the evolution to Web 2.0 - with social networks - users can read and also publish.
is is a change in the communications pattern in which users are not passive receivers anymore but can also participate in
the production of content on the web. Social networks have boosted the importance of graphics on the Net, giving increasing
importance to images, relegating text. Currently, this trend is continued with video taking over as the predominant content
(Bacallo Pino, 2010).
ese trends are taken into account not only by users, but also by companies. Brands are beginning to consider the power
of the customer as a user of the network and are looking not only for feedback, but also for optimal interaction with them.
It is a milestone in the relationship with the customer, both current and potential, as it allows for a more personal, albeit
virtual, approach, allowing for the creation of a network of mutual knowledge, personalising the brand as if the customer were
talking to another friend. It is the user himself who segments, and social networks become spaces where brands, products and
services can be consulted, acquiring the character of a prescriber (Noguera, 2010).
According to Caldevilla (2010), in 2010 there were four main functionalities in social networks: nding new friends,
maintenance of friendships, entertainment and personal management of business structures. e most widely used tools
were applications for publishing pictures, which allowed photo albums to be uploaded and commented on; private and public
messaging; creating proles in which to display personal information and interact with other users; and online games and
competitions focused on branding, which were a key point for advertising.
e Cocktail Analysis Social Networking Observatory Results Report (Urueña et al., 2011) stated that 61% of users consulted
social networks daily and 23% several times a week, meaning that 84% of them used the networks regularly. e most common
activities were contacting friends by sending private messages, while only 10% used them to share texts.
According to the II Study on Social Networks on the Internet by IAB Spain (Marquina, 2010), there was a very noticeable
growth compared to 2009, with the level of penetration of social networks rising from 51% to 70%, with Facebook, Tuenti and
YouTube in the lead and being some of the most mentioned words in the Google search engine. e most used networks at
that time were Facebook (89%), YouTube (60%) and Tuenti (44%), with the average user identied as a woman between 18
and 24 years old and a favorite place from where to connect: home. In terms of awareness of the three most searched Social
Networks, Facebook increased its awareness by 9% reaching 96%, Tuenti remained at 62% and YouTube gained 1% to get to
85%. In contrast, Hi5 decreased by 8% and MySpace by 3%. As far as brand communication on social networks, no major user
rejection was observed, 22% saying they do not like advertising, while 56% of those surveyed responding indierently and 21%
liking it a lot or quite a lot.
According to Lavilla and Mesonero, the main social networks in 2010 were MySpace, its successor Facebook, the photo-sharing
social network Flickr, Tuenti, Twitter and Tagged, a social network aimed at meeting new people from all over the world. In
the same year others emerged, such as the platform that allowed the user to create a personal page with links to other online
proles, called About.me, Ping, Apple’s social network; the not very successful Buzz, launched by Google, which barely lasted
three years on the web. But others emerged that shook up the social networking scene: Pinterest and Instagram. e latter, one
of the three most used social networks in the world, had the merit of incorporating the tool for editing content published by
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Fernando Marugán Solís and Davinia Martín Critikián
ISSN: 1696-019X / e-ISSN: 2386-3978
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users within the same application, as well as adding the option of using hashtags, tags and location. After its launch in October
2010, it became immediately popular and acquired two million users in its rst months (Rodriguez, 2021) and this year 2010 is
a key date in which social networks take o in society, acquiring an important role in communication (Figure 3).
Figure 3. e most important milestones in Social Networking in 2010
According to the II Study on Social Networks on the Internet by IAB Spain (Marquina,
2010), there was a very noticeable growth compared to 2009, with the level of penetration
of social networks rising from 51% to 70%, with Facebook, Tuenti and YouTube in the
lead and being some of the most mentioned words in the Google search engine. The most
used networks at that time were Facebook (89%), YouTube (60%) and Tuenti (44%),
with the average user identified as a woman between 18 and 24 years old and a favorite
place from where to connect: home. In terms of awareness of the three most searched
Social Networks, Facebook increased its awareness by 9% reaching 96%, Tuenti
remained at 62% and YouTube gained 1% to get to 85%. In contrast, Hi5 decreased by
8% and MySpace by 3%. As far as brand communication on social networks, no major
user rejection was observed, 22% saying they do not like advertising, while 56% of those
surveyed responding indifferently and 21% liking it a lot or quite a lot.
According to Lavilla and Mesonero, the main social networks in 2010 were MySpace, its
successor Facebook, the photo
-
sharing social network Flickr, Tuenti, Twitter and Tagged,
a social network aimed at meeting new people from all over the world. In the same year
others emerged, such as the platform that allowed the user to create a personal page with
links to other online profiles, called About.me, Ping, Apple's social network; the not very
successful Buzz, launched by Google, which barely lasted three years on the web. But
others emerged that shook up the social networking scene: Pinterest and Instagram. The
latter, one of the three most used social networks in the world, had the merit of
incorporating the tool for editing content published by users within the same application,
as well as adding the option of using hashtags, tags and location. After its launch in
October 2010, it became immediately popular and acquired two million users in its first
month
s (Rodriguez, 2021) and this year 2010 is a key date in which social networks take
off in society, acquiring an important role in communication (Figure 3
).
Figure
3. The most important milestones in Social Networking in 2010
Source:
P
repared by the
authors
While most accesses to Social Networks were via a personal computer, mobile devices
came into play offering users a permanent connection, greater mobility and intimacy
–
thus, solving one of users’ major concerns about the use of social networks at
home,
offering more privacy and individualization. In this context, in view of the growth of
Internet connection from mobile phones
-
48% of users
-
telephone companies are
adapting to consumers' Internet needs, reducing tariffs and proposing new offers (Gómez
and Martínez, 2010).
The final development of social networks is based on Web 3.0 or semantics, which makes
it possible to interpret the profiles and needs of each user, with the use of Artificial
Intelligence, knowledge management and personalization algorithms. However, the Web
of 2021 is that of an operating system with processing capacity emulating the human
Source: Prepared by the authors
While most accesses to Social Networks were via a personal computer, mobile devices came into play oering users a
permanent connection, greater mobility and intimacy – thus, solving one of users’ major concerns about the use of social
networks at home, oering more privacy and individualization. In this context, in view of the growth of Internet connection
from mobile phones –48% of users– telephone companies are adapting to consumers’ Internet needs, reducing taris and
proposing new oers (Gómez and Martínez, 2010).
e nal development of social networks is based on Web 3.0 or semantics, which makes it possible to interpret the proles and
needs of each user, with the use of Articial Intelligence, knowledge management and personalization algorithms. However,
the Web of 2021 is that of an operating system with processing capacity emulating the human brain: Web 4.0 opens the door
to voice control, user dialogue with the Net, neural implants or the well-known Google Glasses. Technological innovation and
digital devices have changed the social pattern for good. Socio-economic and political issues, to a large extent, depend on what
users do, and this change of role in which the Internet user became “king” is due to the exponential increase in digital data - Big
Data - generated by users on a daily basis through innite number of devices (Suárez and García, 2021).
According to the IAB Social Networks Study 2021 (IAB Spain, 2021), the Social Networks with the highest growth compared
to 2019 are TikTok (up 9%), Telegram (up 8%) and Twitch (up 4%); Instagram increased its percentage of use by 5%, with
Facebook being the only one of the main platforms to fall by 6% (Figure 4). is report includes for the rst time networks that
are booming, such as the podcast-based social network Stereo, Onlyfans, Patreon, the “exclusive” chat network Clubhouse,
Discord and Ivoox; and others that have been left aside due to their loss of strength, such as Tumblr, 21 Buttons or the video-
calling network House Party.
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Figure 4. e most used/visited Social Networks in Spain in 2021
so
cial basada en podcasts Stereo, Onlyfans, Patreon, la “exclusiva” red para chatear
Clubhouse, Discord e Ivoox; y otras han quedado apartadas por su
pérdida
de fuerza como
Tumblr, 21 Buttons o la red de videollamadas House Party.
Figura 4. Las Redes Sociales más utilizadas/visitadas en España en 2021
Fuente:
A
daptado de
Las Redes Sociales más utilizadas/visitadas en España en 2021.
IAB Spain 2021, 2021.
Según los datos del Informe Digital 2021 de la plataforma gestora de Redes Sociales
Hootsuite y de la agencia creativa We Are Social (Redacción Europa Press, 2021), el 80%
de la población española usa Redes Sociales, que se traduce en más de 37 millones de
usuari
os. En Facebook se sitúan más de 2.700 millones de usuarios de los que el 56,3%
son hombres, 2.291 millones de personas usan YouTube, con un 54,2% de público
masculino, WhatsApp destaca por ser la web favorita del país y es usada por 2.000
millones
de personas a nivel mundial.
Las mujeres se declinan más por las plataformas más visuales como Instagram (51,5%),
Snapchat (56%), y TikTok (50,1%). Estas redes se caracterizan por la posibilidad de
poder publicar vídeos cortos en los que destacan los tutoriales, el humor y la temática
musical, algo que podría venir derivado de las restricciones de movilidad por la pandemia
de la Covid
-
19. Definitivamente, el vídeo es el contenido favorito para los usuarios
españoles
-
9 de cada 10 consumen vídeos
-
. No obstante, el 64% de los usuarios afirma
que prioriza el contenido duradero como el de YouTube o Twitch, mientras que el 36%
prefiere los vídeo efímeros. En 2021 destacaron como contenidos: lo humorístico en el
que priman los memes y la recreación de situaciones cómicas, el sentimentalismo y la
apelación a las emociones, lo nostálgico y la temática medioambiental y de sostenibilidad.
Pero el contenido que más triunfa en este último año es el
gaming
. Los
gamers
que se han
convertido en los nuevos
influencers.
La mitad de los usuarios de redes sociales afirman
haber visto alguna competición de los eSports,
-
el 73% en el caso de los usuarios varones
de entre 16 y 24 años
-
. (De Frutos, 202
1)
En mayor medida, este contenido sirve de entretenimiento para los usuarios, pero también
se traslada al ámbito educativo, pues colegios, institutos y universidades se han unido a
las redes sociales con el fin de promover mecanismos innovadores para el proceso de
enseñanza y de aprendizaje
(
De Frutos et al., 2021). Debido al contexto pandémico, en
España se le ha dado gran importancia al papel de las redes sociales para favorecer la
interrelación social entre el alumnado, el profesorado y la propia institución académica.
Source: Adapted from
Las Redes Sociales más utilizadas/visitadas en España en 2021
of IAB Spain, 2021, 2021
According to data from the 2021 Digital Report by the social media management platform Hootsuite and the creative agency
We Are Social (Redacción Europa Press, 2021), 80% of the Spanish population uses social networks, which translates into more
than 37 million users. Facebook has more than 2,700 million users worldwide (56.3% men), 2,291 million people use YouTube,
with 54.2% of the audience being male, WhatsApp stands out as the country’s favorite application and is used by 2,000 million
people worldwide.
Women are more present on more visual platforms such as Instagram (51.5%), Snapchat (56%), and TikTok (50.1%). ese
networks are characterized by the possibility of being able to publish short videos in which tutorials, humor and music
themes stand out, something that could be due to the mobility restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Video is clearly
the favorite content for Spanish users - 9 out of 10 consume them. However, 64% of users say they prioritize long-lasting
content such as YouTube or Twitch, while 36% prefer ephemeral videos. In 2021, the following content stood out: humor, with
memes and the recreation of comical situations, sentimentality and appeals to emotions, nostalgia, and environmental and
sustainability themes. But the most successful content last year was gaming. Gamers have become the new inuencers. Half
of social network users claim to have watched an eSports competition, 73% of male users aged between 16 and 24. (De Frutos,
2021).
is content serves as entertainment for users, but it is also transferred to the educational sphere, as schools, colleges and
universities have joined social networks in order to promote innovative mechanisms for the teaching and learning process
(De Frutos et al., 2021). Due to the pandemic context, in Spain, great importance has been given to the role of social networks
to promote social interaction between students, teachers and the academic institution itself. Communities and special
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connections are formed, even closer than those generated in person, creating a climate of greater dynamism and participation
(Calderón et al., 2019).
On the other hand, the IAB Spain study (2021) reveals that 92% of the proles followed by users belong to friends and family,
and, despite having dropped 4 points compared to 2020, brands continue to have a deep place in users’ accounts, with 48% of
those surveyed claiming to follow commercial brands and/or inuencers. Caldevilla (2014) insists on the direct power of the
Web on the behavior of users and potential consumers.
anks to the Internet and social networks, it is possible to modify behavior, create new opinion movements, political parties,
protest platforms, promote demonstrations, create support groups for specic causes or create a fashion that generates the
consumption of a certain product.
Brands today are aware that for something to exist, it must be shared on social networks. However, one of the problems that
companies are facing is the excess of information on the Web, which leads to diculty in delivering the message, so these
messages need to stand out in terms of content and positioning -with tactics such as Search Engine Optimization or Search
Engine Marketing in search engines such as Google, Microsoft Bing or Baidu- (Aladro, 2020).
2.2. Evolution of the Generations through digitalization and social networks
When we talk about the digital era, we have to consider six generations with very dierent characteristics. e authors,
however, do not agree on the years that comprise each of them, so we will take as a reference the studies of the Institute of
Digital Technology of the ESIC (ICMD); since other authors, such as Zemke, Raines and Filipczak (2014) place ranges of years
for each generation that are not specic and too broad: Millennials between 1980 and 2004, Generation X from 1960 to 1980,
Generation Y from 1943 to 1960, Baby Boomers from 1940 to 1943 and Silent Generation born before 1943. Other authors
(Olivares & González, 2016), are much closer to the ranges of years taken into account by the ICMD, comprising the Silent
Generation between 1925 and 1944, the Baby Boomers between 1945 and 1965, Generation X from 1965 to 1980, Generation
Y or Millenials from 1980 to 2000 and Generation Z those born already in the 21st century, this last generation has also been
called Screenagers -screen teenagers- (Álvarez & Heredia, 2019)). Although there are also other classications, now outdated,
that reduce the groups to digital natives or digital immigrants (Prensky, 2001) or consumers versus producers (Toer, 1980).
e Silent Generation comprises those born between 1925 and 1944 and, according to the Institute for Digital Economy, seeks
communication to avoid isolation and loneliness. Julio Malpartida, professor at the faculty of communication at the University
of the Pacic, says that the Silent Generation use newspapers and journals for information, track their spending, subscribe to
pay-TV, value recommendations before making a purchase but generally make little use of technology.
e study conducted by the digital economy institute says that the use of social networks by this generation is increasing
considerably, as are digital devices such as Alexa or Google Home. e “Silent Ones” are not used to online shopping, so when
it comes to making decisions, they rely more on personal recommendations (ICEMD. 2017).
is generation is followed by the “Baby Boomers”, born between 1945 and 1964 and considered the owners of the market, due
to their high purchasing power. is prole of people wants to feel young. In terms of the digital environment, according to
ICEMD, their favorite social network is Facebook. Boomers mainly use one social network, although more and more are using
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ISSN: 1696-019X / e-ISSN: 2386-3978
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another, generally LinkedIn, for professional purposes (González Barranco, 2020). Internet use among boomers is increasing
steadily, using it to break barriers between them and their loved ones who live far away or with friends from their teenage
years with whom they once lost contact. A new social network to highlight among this generation is Stich, dened as “Tinder
for adults”, where the aim is not only to look for a romantic relationship, but also to nd company for trips or various group
activities (ICEMD. 2017).
Next is the so-called Generation X, comprising those born between 1965 and 1979, who are generally looking for entertainment,
travel and socializing. ey want new experiences and active social lives. Physical exercise is also very important to them.
Values such as ambition, individualism and workaholism dene them. Talking about the use of the Internet, it is stated that
they do not need it to live their lives or to have fun, but they are open to try technological innovations that make their daily lives
easier. Although they have had an analogue life in their childhood, they know perfectly well the use and management of social
networks and use them frequently to share content (Nicolás, 2016). e main social networks where we nd this generation are
Facebook and Instagram, which they use to interact with their family and friends (ICEMD. 2017).
ose born between 1980 and 2000 are the so-called Generation Y, also called Millennials, they value experiences before
any material objects and they like to feel unique, so they expect a lot from brands. ey love humor, irony and anything that
is surprising. ey are curious and like to be the rst to discover and share. It is a generation that wants to feel unique and
dierent, so they have a deep-rooted collective feeling (Vilanova & Ortega, 2017), Instagram is the social network most used by
this generation, followed by Facebook, which is losing more and more popularity. Millennials demand brands in an immediate
and transparent way; they are empowered consumers who question everything that causes them concern and/or confusion.
As ICEMD points out, they are a very diverse and fragmented generation. ey consume all kinds of content, be it music, blogs
or even podcasts. But the fact that they consume everything does not mean that they are not loyal to certain platforms such as
Netix and Spotify.
Subsequently, Generation Z comprises those born between 2001 and 2011. e Institute for Digital Economy denes these
young people as the most diverse and multicultural, globally minded and highly respectful. It is possibly the most individualistic
generation of them all, in which everyone continually seeks to assert themselves against the group and uses social networks to
do so (Soriano & Ortega, 2021). Committed and responsible in the social sphere and lovers of images, emoticons and memes.
e mobile device is a must for them. e social networks where we can nd them are TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Most
of them are still teenagers very prone to the inuence of relevant celebrities, so they are in the so-called “fan phenomenon”.
ey are independent in seeking and nding information and consume twice as much video content as images. ey are said
to have a maximum attention span of 8 seconds caused by the speed with which they get answers from the internet; so, they
are said to be a rather impatient generation (ICEMD. 2017).
Finally, we have the Alpha generation, born from 2012 to the present, a generation that will mean the rearmation of the
audiovisual message as a mode of communication (Soriano & Ortega, 2021). ey are 100% digital and will grow up in an
environment surrounded by virtual and augmented realities. is will inuence their attitudes, habits and skills. ey will
experience many technological and digital advances. ey are considered video consumers from before their rst birthday and
can nd content that interests and appeals to them without the need to know how to read. As time goes by, they will interact
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naturally with voice assistants such as Alexa or Google Home. ey will not conceive technology as a tool; for them it has
always been there, it is a singularity, they will not know any other way of living. It will be like another language to learn. ey
have been exposed to responses like Siri’s since birth, which for them is something common and part of their lives. Although
individuals of this generation do not have their own mobile phones as they are still very young, they do use Facetime from their
relatives to connect with their loved ones (ICEMD. 2017).
2.3. Hypothesis
Relationships and uses in Social Networks are in continuous evolution; but, in the last few years, changes have been precipitated
by the arrival of the so-called Generation Z. For this reason, the following hypotheses have been put forward:
- H1. Social Networks today have become the main mode of interaction between young people and their environment,
establishing relationships online, within an environment where they want to reect their tastes and their way of being.
- H2. Generation Z uses Social Networks more actively than the generations that have preceded them and prefer to upload
their own content rather than share the content of others.
- H3. ere is a change in the type of content that is uploaded to Social Networks, as Generation Z, with the rise of TikTok,
prefers to upload audiovisual content to other types of content that until recently were in the majority (pictures).
In order to test the veracity of these hypotheses and with the aim of nding out about the Social Networking consumption
habits of Generation Z, the study methodology was developed and is explained below.
3. Method
We chose a mixed methodology, applying qualitative and quantitative techniques. We will consider qualitative methodology
as that which produces descriptive data: people’s own words, spoken or written, and observable behaviors (Taylor & Bogdan,
1986). In this case, a content analysis has been carried out from an interpretative point of view based on primary and secondary
sources such as scientic journals in the sector. e documentation search was carried out in the WoS, Scopus, IEEE Xplore
databases and in the Google Scholar search engine for all scientic articles published between 2010 and 2022, in English and
Spanish, in scientic journals (articles), reports, books (chapters) and thesis as research sources. is date has been taken as
a reference as it marks the beginning of studies on this Generation Z, as prior to this date the members of this generation were
young children and their dierentiating characteristics compared to other generations were not highlighted. e document
strategy includes the following search terms and their combinations with Boolean operators (and/or): “generation Z”, “social
networks”, “communication”, “young people”, “Gen Z”. Documents without scientic conclusions have been disregarded and,
through hypertext “snowball” research methodology was applied to locate more documents with the selected search references
in the same databases (Wohlin, 2014).
On the other hand, according to Hueso & Cascant (2012), quantitative methodology employs dierent statistical strategies
in order to analyze aspects relevant to the target group of the study. At the quantitative level, a survey has been developed,
dened by Groves et al. (2004, p. 4) as a systematic method for collecting information from a sample of the entities in order to
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construct quantitative descriptors of attributes of the general population of which the entities are members. e objective is
to obtain information on the consumption habits on social networks, for which closed questions were asked rstly to nd out
the consumption characteristics of each social network and nally questions in which the interviewees could evaluate each
one of them (see Annex 1).
e total sample of the study corresponds to 500 teenagers aged between 11 and 18 years, with a slight majority in this sample
of younger teenagers (59% aged 11 to 14 years compared to 41% aged 15 to 18 years) and more girls than boys (67% of girls
compared to 33% of boys), since especially in the younger age groups there are many boys who say they do not use social
networks and spend their time playing video games and sport, unlike girls. e survey was carried out between February and
May 2022 in a geographical area covering the dierent administrative regions of Spain. A questionnaire was sent to the target
audience via a link on the Forms platform (see Appendix I). As our sample is 500 and the universe is 8 million (according to a
study by the INE, Instituto Nacional de Estadística, 2021), the margin of error is 4.38%. erefore, this analysis is based on an
approximation study of the phenomenon, since it is a specic sample and limited in the number of participants; even so, it is
an initial study, allowing us to lay the foundations for future research.
4. Results
In this study, and according to the data obtained in the survey, we have been able to verify that 91% of young people between
11 and 18 years of age have at least one social network, the gure being 98% if we limit the study to the 15-18 age group.
e approximate average time spent on social networks is mostly between 1 and 2 hours a day (for 38% of respondents) and
between 30 and 60 minutes a day (for 36% of respondents), although some also answered that they spend less than 30 minutes
(17% of the survey), more than 2 hours (6%) and 3% answered that they do not look at social networks at all. e data also
changes if we analyze only the older age group, 15-18 years old, with a higher daily consumption of Social Networks: 46%
connect between 1 and 2 hours a day, 34% between 30 and 60 minutes, 10% more than two hours a day and 9% less than
30 minutes (see gure 5). As for the average daily time spent by each sex, we can see that girls spend more time on social
networks every day. As both boys and girls grow older, they spend more time on social networks, but the dierence in time
also increases, with girls spending more time (see gure 7). In the correlation graph (see gure 8) we can see how the majority
of time spent on social networks varies between 30 and 120 minutes a day, but as they get older the segment of Generation Z
people who spend more than 60 minutes on social networks increases; on the other hand, the percentage of people who spend
less than 30 minutes on social networks is signicant at the youngest ages, but then as they get older up to the age of 18, the
percentage decreases and the percentage of people who spend more than 2 hours a day on social networks is higher. As for
the median and mode data, we see that the mode in all cases is to spend 1-2 hours a day on Social Networks, while the median
changes; in the 11-15 age group it is 30 minutes and in the 15-18 age group it is more than 2 hours, which proves the growth of
the time spent on Social Networks as the members of Generation Z get older.
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Figure 5. Average time using social networks, from 11 to 15 years of age
people who spend less than 30 minutes on social networks is significant at the youngest
ages, but then as they get older up to the age of 18, the percentage decreases and the
percentage of people who spend more than 2 hours a day on social networks is higher. As
for the median and mode data, we see that the mode in all cases is to spend 1
-
2 hours a
day on Social Networks, while the median changes; in the 11
-
15 age group it is 30 minutes
and in the 15
-
18 age group it is more than 2 hours, which proves the growth of the time
spent on Social Networks as the members of Generation Z get older.
Figure
5.
Average time using social networks
,
from 11 to 1
5
years of age
.
Source: prepared by the authors
Figure
6
. Average time using social networks, from 15 to 18 years of age
Source: prepared by the authors
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ϭ ƚŽ Ϯ Ś͘
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>ĞƐƐ ƚŚĂŶ ϯϬ ŵŝŶ
DŽƌĞ ƚŚĂŶ Ϯ Ś͘
EŽƚŚŝŶŐ
"ǀĞƌĂŐĞ ƚŝŵĞ ϭϱ
Ͳ
ϭϴ LJĞĂƌƐ
ϭ Ă Ϯ Ś͘
ϭ ƚŽ Ϯ Ś͘
ϯϬ ƚŽ ϲϬ ŵŝŶ
>ĞƐƐ ƚŚĂŶ ϯϬ ŵŝŶ
DŽƌĞ ƚŚĂŶ Ϯ Ś͘
EŽƚŚŝŶŐ
Source: prepared by the authors
Figure 6. Average time using social networks, from 15 to 18 years of age
people who spend less than 30 minutes on social networks is significant at the youngest
ages, but then as they get older up to the age of 18, the percentage decreases and the
percentage of people who spend more than 2 hours a day on social networks is higher. As
for the median and mode data, we see that the mode in all cases is to spend 1
-
2 hours a
day on Social Networks, while the median changes; in the 11
-
15 age group it is 30 minutes
and in the 15
-
18 age group it is more than 2 hours, which proves the growth of the time
spent on Social Networks as the members of Generation Z get older.
Figure
5.
Average time using social networks
,
from 11 to 1
5
years of age
.
Source: prepared by the authors
Figure
6
. Average time using social networks, from 15 to 18 years of age
Source: prepared by the authors
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Ͳ
ϭϱ LJĞĂƌƐ
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>ĞƐƐ ƚŚĂŶ ϯϬ ŵŝŶ
DŽƌĞ ƚŚĂŶ Ϯ Ś͘
EŽƚŚŝŶŐ
"ǀĞƌĂŐĞ ƚŝŵĞ ϭϱ
Ͳ
ϭϴ LJĞĂƌƐ
ϭ Ă Ϯ Ś͘
ϭ ƚŽ Ϯ Ś͘
ϯϬ ƚŽ ϲϬ ŵŝŶ
>ĞƐƐ ƚŚĂŶ ϯϬ ŵŝŶ
DŽƌĞ ƚŚĂŶ Ϯ Ś͘
EŽƚŚŝŶŐ
Source: prepared by the authors
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Figure 7. Daily time spent on social networks by age
Figure
7
: Daily time spent on social networks by age
Source:
P
repared by the authors
Figure
8
. Comparison of average time per minute on the Internet by sex and age
Source:
P
repared by the authors
The age at which they opened their first social network is mostly 13 years old (40% of
the sample) and 14 years old (31% of the sample). In terms of the Social Network they
prefer to connect to, Spotify, TikTok and Instagram are by far the most popular, with
more than 85% of the sample connecting every day and sometimes several times a day,
followed by YouTube, which they usually connect to every 2 or 3 days. The rest of the
Social Networks do not appear to be significant for Generation Z, as the vast majority
admitted to connecting about once a month to Facebook and Vimeo; and almost never to
Twitter, Twitch, Pinterest and Snapchat. Similar results were obtained for these Social
Networks when asked to rate them from 0 to 5, with TikTok and Instagram scoring around
4, YouTube 3.5, Facebook and Vimeo above 1.5 and the rest less than 1.
When asked what kind of activities they do on social networks: 85% said it was following
accounts of other people or groups, 78% chatting and sending messages, 72% uploading
Source:
prepared by the authors
Figure 8. Comparison of average time per minute on the Internet by sex and age
Figure
7
: Daily time spent on social networks by age
Source:
P
repared by the authors
Figure
8
. Comparison of average time per minute on the Internet by sex and age
Source:
P
repared by the authors
The age at which they opened their first social network is mostly 13 years old (40% of
the sample) and 14 years old (31% of the sample). In terms of the Social Network they
prefer to connect to, Spotify, TikTok and Instagram are by far the most popular, with
more than 85% of the sample connecting every day and sometimes several times a day,
followed by YouTube, which they usually connect to every 2 or 3 days. The rest of the
Social Networks do not appear to be significant for Generation Z, as the vast majority
admitted to connecting about once a month to Facebook and Vimeo; and almost never to
Twitter, Twitch, Pinterest and Snapchat. Similar results were obtained for these Social
Networks when asked to rate them from 0 to 5, with TikTok and Instagram scoring around
4, YouTube 3.5, Facebook and Vimeo above 1.5 and the rest less than 1.
When asked what kind of activities they do on social networks: 85% said it was following
accounts of other people or groups, 78% chatting and sending messages, 72% uploading
Source:
prepared by the authors
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393
e age at which they opened their rst social network is mostly 13 years old (40% of the sample) and 14 years old (31% of the
sample). In terms of the Social Network they prefer to connect to, Spotify, TikTok and Instagram are by far the most popular,
with more than 85% of the sample connecting every day and sometimes several times a day, followed by YouTube, which they
usually connect to every 2 or 3 days. e rest of the Social Networks do not appear to be signicant for Generation Z, as the vast
majority admitted to connecting about once a month to Facebook and Vimeo; and almost never to Twitter, Twitch, Pinterest
and Snapchat. Similar results were obtained for these Social Networks when asked to rate them from 0 to 5, with TikTok and
Instagram scoring around 4, YouTube 3.5, Facebook and Vimeo above 1.5 and the rest less than 1.
When asked what kind of activities they do on social networks: 85% said it was following accounts of other people or groups,
78% chatting and sending messages, 72% uploading posts and posting content, 65% seeing what their contacts are doing, 45%
listening to music or watching videos. en, with a percentage below 7% were: meeting people, playing online games, getting
inspired, becoming a fan and following a brand, buying products or services and learning (see gure 7). We observe that the
activity that people over 15 spend most time on is following other people. If we consider the gender variants, those under that
age change their main activity, with girls uploading content and boys chatting (see gure 9). is is very signicant, as the
social network most used by them is TikTok, a video uploading platform. However, children prefer to chat rather than upload
videos.
Figure 9. What Gen Z is doing on social networks
po
sts and posting content, 65% seeing what their contacts are doing, 45% listening to
music or watching videos. Then, with a percentage below 7% were: meeting people,
playing online games, getting inspired, becoming a fan and following a brand, buying
produc
ts or services and learning (see figure 7). We observe that the activity that people
over 15 spend most time on is following other people. If we consider the gender variants,
those under that age change their main activity, with girls uploading content and boys
chatting (see figure 9). This is very significant, as the social network most used by them
is TikTok, a video uploading platform. However, children prefer to chat rather than
upload videos.
Figure
9
. What Gen Z is doing on social networks
Source:
Prepared
by the authors
Figure
10
. Gender difference (girls:red; boys:blue)
"Đƚŝǀ
ŝƚŝĞƐ ďLJ ĂŐĞƐ
Source:
prepared by the authors
The last point of the survey was focused on what type of accounts they usually follow on
social networks, with the majority of respondents (96%) being friends (96%). About 45%
said they follow family, 41% influencers, 6% brands and only 1% the media.
5.
Discussion
Social networks are constantly changing (Voorveld, 2016), and Brands use these changes
as part of their marketing strategy, advertising evolves with the uses and platforms used,
but they become intrusive elements that limit the relationship between the user and the
social network (De Salas, 2010). However, other authors consider that advertising allows
the development of these Social Networks, establishing a double influence in which the
Ϭ
ϭϬ
ϮϬ
ϯϬ
ϰϬ
ϱϬ
ϲϬ
ϳϬ
ϴϬ
ϵϬ
ǁŚĂƚ LJŽƵŶŐ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ĚŽ ŝŶ ƐŽĐŝĂů ŶĞƚǁŽƌŬƐ
&ŽůůŽǁ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚƐ
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ƉƵďůŝƐŚ ƚŚŝŶŐƐ
ǀŝĞǁ ĐŽŶƚĞŶƚƐ
DƵƐŝĐͬǀŝĚĞŽ
ŽƚŚĞƌ
Source:
prepared by the authors
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Figure 10. Gender dierence (girls:red; boys:blue)
po
sts and posting content, 65% seeing what their contacts are doing, 45% listening to
music or watching videos. Then, with a percentage below 7% were: meeting people,
playing online games, getting inspired, becoming a fan and following a brand, buying
produc
ts or services and learning (see figure 7). We observe that the activity that people
over 15 spend most time on is following other people. If we consider the gender variants,
those under that age change their main activity, with girls uploading content and boys
chatting (see figure 9). This is very significant, as the social network most used by them
is TikTok, a video uploading platform. However, children prefer to chat rather than
upload videos.
Figure
9
. What Gen Z is doing on social networks
Source:
Prepared
by the authors
Figure
10
. Gender difference (girls:red; boys:blue)
"Đƚŝǀ
ŝƚŝĞƐ ďLJ ĂŐĞƐ
Source:
prepared by the authors
The last point of the survey was focused on what type of accounts they usually follow on
social networks, with the majority of respondents (96%) being friends (96%). About 45%
said they follow family, 41% influencers, 6% brands and only 1% the media.
5.
Discussion
Social networks are constantly changing (Voorveld, 2016), and Brands use these changes
as part of their marketing strategy, advertising evolves with the uses and platforms used,
but they become intrusive elements that limit the relationship between the user and the
social network (De Salas, 2010). However, other authors consider that advertising allows
the development of these Social Networks, establishing a double influence in which the
Ϭ
ϭϬ
ϮϬ
ϯϬ
ϰϬ
ϱϬ
ϲϬ
ϳϬ
ϴϬ
ϵϬ
ǁŚĂƚ LJŽƵŶŐ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ĚŽ ŝŶ ƐŽĐŝĂů ŶĞƚǁŽƌŬƐ
&ŽůůŽǁ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚƐ
ĐŚĂƚ
ƉƵďůŝƐŚ ƚŚŝŶŐƐǀŝĞǁ ĐŽŶƚĞŶƚƐ
DƵƐŝĐͬǀŝĚĞŽŽƚŚĞƌ
Source: prepared by the authors
e last point of the survey was focused on what type of accounts they usually follow on social networks, with the majority of
respondents (96%) being friends (96%). About 45% said they follow family, 41% inuencers, 6% brands and only 1% the media.
5. Discussion
Social networks are constantly changing (Voorveld, 2016), and Brands use these changes as part of their marketing strategy,
advertising evolves with the uses and platforms used, but they become intrusive elements that limit the relationship between
the user and the social network (De Salas, 2010). However, other authors consider that advertising allows the development
of these Social Networks, establishing a double inuence in which the narrative of TikTok and Instagram conditions the
narrative of advertising, but in turn advertising conditions the narrative that individuals establish on Social Networks (Hidalgo
& Segarra, 2019).
Nowadays, the user has become the center of all the movements of Social Networks and companies, which are willing to invest
in listening and dialogue mechanisms through each customer’s preferred channel, in order to get to know them better and
personalize interactions as much as possible; this excessive use of data can go beyond legal limits, violating users’ right to
privacy (Pastor, 2016). Other authors, in opposite, believe that the objective is the same as traditionally: to attract and retain
customers. However, now it is the customer who has the power of decision and social networks are key in the interaction that
brands have with users (Jiménez, 2019). Nowadays, the trend is more towards personalization and segmentation to cater to
dierent market niches. e trend in digitalization is to humanize the content and message and adapt reality to virtuality as
closely as possible. A digital ecosystem that feeds on feelings and emotions, rather than rational content (De Frutos & Pastor,
2021).
Regarding the use made of social networks, we have observed how Generation Z seeks more playful content and is also self-
taught in the use of technology, they tend to share their own content and are always looking for immediate information about
what they need. In contrast to these uses of social networks, the older generations are interested in receiving information that
is more focused on the cultural and leisure sphere, they share other people’s content (Peral & Arenas, 2015). Age, therefore, is a
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qualitative aspect in the social use of Social Networks (Carpintero & Lafuente, 2007) since young people build their community
through the network (Sabater, 2014) and in this way the Social Networks themselves are the ones that build identity, both at an
individual and group level (Núñez, García & Hermida, 2012) so that at the present time it is not possible to separate the study
of society from technology (Álvarez, Heredia & Romero, 2019).
6. Conclusions
Considering the study carried out, we can say that Generation Z is possibly the generation that interacts the most on social
networks, this is in some way explained by them being the rst generation of digital natives, who have experienced interaction
with all kinds of devices as something normal from a very young age. Most of them have had a smartphone since the age of
11 or 12, and by 13 or 14 they already have their own social network accounts. In addition, they spend a lot of time interacting
on them, between 30 minutes and 2 hours for most of them, which makes them feel the need to communicate through them
and establish virtual interactions and connections that in many cases come to replace real ones (Calderón et al, 2019). It is
important to highlight that girls spend more time on Social Networks than boys, and boys tend to prefer video games and
sports; and although both increase their daily time spent on Social Networks as they grow, this average time increases more
for girls compared to boys. In terms of the content they prefer, this also varies and although those over 15 prefer to see content
from people they know, the younger ones are more active and use Social Networks mainly for uploading content and chatting.
erefore, young people from Generation Z prefer to interact socially through social networks rather than any other form of
socialization (Álvarez, Heredia & Romero, 2019).
As for the role that these young people play on social networks, we can see that it is much more active, as although they
continue to use them to follow and keep in touch with their friends, they do not limit themselves to viewing content but try
to generate it themselves. Interaction is continuously increasing to chat and to upload content. ese contents are mostly
audiovisual, this format now clearly surpassing the just visual or just audio. Social Networks that have been successful in
connecting with this generation oer the possibility of uploading dierent audiovisual formats.
e preferred Social Networks of Generation Z are TikTok, Instagram and Spotify; and to a lesser extent YouTube. Meanwhile,
those that were more successful for previous generations, such as Facebook, are rejected by most teenagers and young adults.
On the other hand, some emerging Social Networks such as Twich are growing quickly in this age group, although, as they
pointed out in our survey, mainly for gaming and with a user prole heavily biased towards male.
Lastly, we should point out the lack of follow up by brands through Social Networks, something that should lead them to
rethink the content they oer on their proles, as we can see that it is not very attractive to the new generations.
For all these reasons, we consider this study to be the rst step to continue to monitor the evolution of the use of Social Networks
by this generation and how the use of the most recently created Social Networks evolves. Moreover, the next generation is likely
to bring about a profound change in the use of Social Networks, as they have interacted with technology before they even knew
how to read and write, which may lead to new habits when they reach adolescence and own their own devices and proles on
Social Networks.
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In conclusion, considering the hypotheses that were put forward and once we have seen the results of the analysis, we can say
that all of them are fullled, as young people from Generation Z interact with each other through social networks, where they
choose who they want to share content with. e other hypotheses are corroborated, especially with the youngest, who prefer
to upload their own content rather than share other people’s content, and mostly tend to share audiovisual content.
Finally, it should be noted that this article can be used as the basis for future lines of research to see how Generation Z evolves
in their use of social networks as they grow older and leave their current period of adolescence. It is also interesting to see how
the later generation uses Social Networks, and whether they follow current Generation Z trends or not.
7. Acknowledgments
Article translated into English by Bruno Ott.
8. Specic contributions of each author
Name and Surename
Conception and design of the workFernando Marugán Solís and, Davinia Martín Critikián
Methodology
Fernando Marugán Solís and, Davinia Martín Critikián
Data collection and analysisFernando Marugán Solís and, Davinia Martín Critikián
Discussion and conclusionsFernando Marugán Solís and, Davinia Martín Critikián
Drafting, formatting, revision and approval of the version.Fernando Marugán Solís and, Davinia Martín Critikián
9. Bibliographic references
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10. Annexes
Annex I:
Form (Google Forms) through which the survey for this article was conducted:
https://forms.oce.com/r/XdQHG78G7F
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