The economic giants with not-so-social media
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Only 37% of Germans use social media, according to a new Pew survey, a surprising figure given the fact that Germany is the world's fourth-largest economy by GDP, according to the World Economic Forum. Similar patterns follow for Japan, France and Italy, ranked 3rd, 6th and 8th in largest economy by GDP.
Why it matters: The report shows that internet access doesn't necessarily lead to social media use, but rather it's a product of cultural norms and age. Japan, Germany and Italy have some of the lowest levels of social media use, and they all have some of the world's oldest populations. In Germany, users report being more concerned about online privacy, and particularly data privacy, which affects their social media use. Other studies suggest that Eastern vs. Western mentalities of "me" vs. "us" are reflected in social media use.
