engleski

Croatian Youth and Information and Communication Technologies

According to the many survey results young people are the most active users of computers and Internet worldwide, and it is well recognized that the new technologies are not only a means of entertainment but also a very useful tool for development of human resources. Information and communication technologies (ICT) are of the utmost importance for countries in development like Croatia since their penetration and usage may seriously influence competitiveness of the country. On a more personal level, ICT affect the youth ability to participate not only in the peer groups but also in the broader community. Therefore, the Institute for Social Research in Zagreb has conducted surveys on the youth and ICT on several occasions. The last survey was conducted on the representative sample of Croatian students in 2010. This paper presents the results of the all listed surveys, giving the overview of the development in the ICT usage in the last decade in Croatia. A special attention was paid to the modes and frequency of computer and Internet usage, coupled with the broader social context and description of some European trends. Regarding the social context, the paper brought the analysis of some recent social phenomena related to the social networks, namely of the social movements initiated through the tools like Facebook.

Croatia; youth; information and communication technologies; computers; internet; social networks

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