NZers among the most savvy social networkers worldwide

Media release


New Zealanders among the most savvy social networkers worldwide
- New Zealanders least likely to express work frustrations online –


AUCKLAND –27th October, 2012 – Less than 10% of New Zealanders are likely to criticise their workplace online, AVG Technologies’ latest Digital Diaries study reveals. This is lucky, considering the study also found that nearly one quarter of these 18-25 year olds are ‘Facebook friends’ with their boss. Digital Baggage, the sixth instalment of AVG’s Digital Diaries study, features responses from over four thousand 18-25 year olds to AVG’s questions on how they manage their social network profiles.

Of the 11 countries surveyed, New Zealanders had the highest percentage of young adults who know better than to post angry or critical comments about their workplace online, while Italians are the most likely.

AVG’s research also finds that two thirds of 18-25 year olds who are ‘Facebook friends’ with their colleagues do not restrict the content co-workers are able to access.

The survey highlights how this age group is likely to share personal content in an open forum that includes work colleagues, which could have long-term impact on their future career prospects. Specifically, 13 percent of respondents globally did admit to posting abusive content online about their boss or company after a bad day at work.

Tony Anscombe, AVG’s Senior Security Evangelist, said: “AVG’s latest research clearly shows young people today have a comfort with using online social networks that is leading to blurring between their professional and private lives. It seems obvious that posting abusive content about a boss or workplace is not very sensible, but it’s important to understand that not only could it damage a person’s existing career, it could also negatively impact on future opportunities too. Our research findings indicate that today’s 18- 25 year old digital natives need to be more aware of their ‘online brand’ as something employers and recruiters are increasingly investigating.”

Other key findings include:
• No social networks allowed: New Zealanders are also the least likely to access social networks banned at work on mobile devices. Less than a third of young New Zealanders do so, while nearly 60 percent of Australians do.
• Unrestricted profiles for co-workers: one third of New Zealand workers do not restrict their Facebook profile for work colleagues, but this is actually a lower percentage when compared to their counterparts in the US (59 percent); Italy (58 percent); Spain (54 percent); Germany (51 percent); France (50 percent); Australia (38 percent); Canada (45 percent); United Kingdom (34 percent); Czech Republic (30 percent); and Japan (27 per cent).
• Sub-editing social profiles: Only half young New Zealanders (48 percent) are, but young people in most of the other countries surveyed are much less likely to have done so -
• Unsuitable pictures: the Spanish (80 percent) are most likely to have inappropriate images posted online, compared with only a quarter of New Zealanders.
• Interview techniques: New Zealand employers also appear to be least likely to mention online activity, with only five percent of young people being asked about online activity in an interview, compared with 15 percent of Italians.

-Ends-

About AVG Digital Diaries
The first stage of AVG’s Digital Diaries campaign, Digital Birth, focused on children from birth to age two. The study, released in October 2010, found that on average, infants acquire a digital identity by the age of six months old. Nearly a quarter (23 percent) of children has had their pre-birth scans uploaded to the Internet by their parent – establishing a digital footprint even before birth. The second stage, Digital Skills, was released in January 2011 and showed that for two to five year olds ‘tech’ skills are increasingly replacing ‘life’ skills. In fact, many toddlers could use a mouse and play a computer game, but could not ride a bike, swim or tie their shoelaces.

Digital Playground, released in June 2011, found nearly half of six to nine year olds talk to friends online and use social networks. This was followed with Digital Maturity in November 2011, which revealed how 11 year olds had developed adult skills in technology. Digital Coming of Age, the fifth instalment of AVG’s Digital Diaries study was released in April 2012, which interviewed parents of 14-17 year olds, found that nearly half of parents keep tabs on teens via Facebook, latest AVG Technologies’ research reveals.

Research for all stages of the Digital Diaries series was conducted by Research Now on behalf of AVG Technologies.

More information visit: www.avgdigitaldiaries.com

About AVG — www.avg.co.nz
AVG Technologies’ mission is to simplify, optimise and secure the Internet experience, providing peace of mind to a connected world. AVG’s powerful yet easy-to-use software and online services put users in control of their Internet experience. By choosing AVG’s software and services, users become part of a trusted global community that benefits from inherent network effects, mutual protection and support. AVG has grown its user base to 128 million active users as of June 30, 2012 and offers a product portfolio that targets the consumer and small business markets and includes Internet security, PC performance optimisation, online backup, mobile security and identity protection.

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