This data offers a snapshot of evolving digital habits and the consistent interaction between entertainment and information across the EU.
According to the latest annual EU survey on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) usage, access to cultural goods via the internet is growing in popularity. The most common cultural activity among Europeans online is watching television or films, a habit shared by 79% of respondents in the Eurostat study.
70% of European internet users access the internet to read the news. While the vast majority reads online news, only 7% of respondents pay for online news site subscriptions. This notable discrepancy may reflect a current state of news outlets: despite high demand for digital news, most users are accustomed to accessing it for free, suggesting that free, ad-supported, or public service news models remain dominant. Other popular online cultural activities include listening to music (65% of respondents) and playing games (34%).
Across most EU countries, the percentage of individuals watching internet-streamed TV or videos is higher than those reading online news. For the average European internet user, online entertainment holds a slight edge over online information seeking in terms of cultural consumption, though both are highly popular.
Online video content is most popular in the Netherlands, Finland, and Cyprus, where over 90% of respondents regularly watch. In contrast, the fewest internet users engage in this form of cultural consumption in Romania (44%) and Bulgaria (55%).
Czechs are the most frequent users of the internet as a source of information, with 91% of respondents in that country reporting that they regularly read or watch news online. Finns ranked second (90%), followed by Cypriots (89%). Poland is in the middle of the EU ranking at 82%. Conversely, Romanians, the French, and Italians are the least likely among Europeans to consume news content online.
News are still more popular in countries such as Poland, Portugal, and Greece. Especially Poland shows a notable contrast. While 82% of Poles consume online news, they have one of the lowest rates of watching online videos and TV programmes. This might suggest that, culture wise, Polish citizens use the internet more for information than entertainment, possibly due to strong TV habits or slower uptake of paid streaming services.
Czechia presents another notable case. It leads the EU in online news consumption, with 91% of users reading news digitally. While video streaming is also high at 85%, it does not surpass news consumption as it does in many other high-usage countries, indicating a more balanced use of digital media.
Eurostat data revealed that one in three EU internet users purchases cultural products or services online. While films and music are readily consumed via streaming platforms, e-books have not achieved the same popularity as physical books. 16% of internet users report reading traditional books, whereas only 7% prefer e-books and audiobooks.
In 2024, subscriptions providing access to films, series, and sports broadcasts were the most favoured, accounting for 30% of all purchased online cultural goods or services. Slightly fewer internet users (21%) opted for paid access to music platforms.
Tickets for cultural events were also of significant interest, purchased by one in four internet users (25%). Additionally, one in ten internet users paid for software downloads (11%) and computer games (10%).
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