The health crisis has amplified the use of digital services by the French as never before in 2020. What impact has this had on the state of their confidence in digital uses?
This is what can be measured by the results of the 2021 edition of the ACSEL barometer, an association that brings together all the players in the digital economy.
With a paradox: although trust in digital services has reached its best level since 2015 (42%), it is still in the minority.
More than 1 in 2 French people (51%) continue to think that it is risky to use the Internet.
During the first confinement, two thirds of French people used the Internet more, for their leisure and their private life (57%), but also for education and to entertain their children (56%), for their professional activity (42%) , for their purchases (41%) and for their health (26%).
For 7 out of 10 respondents, digital technology has made it possible to limit the impact of the health crisis on the economy, to maintain social ties, to better inform and warn the population about health risks.
More purchases, but no more e-buyers
On e-commerce, it is interesting to note that there were no more e-buyers in 2020 but that those who buy on the Internet did so more often: 17% of Internet users indicated that they had made online purchases every week during the last 12 months (+ 3pts compared to 2019), especially on large platforms (83%), less frequently on the sites of small local merchants (27%).
Over the period, the main difficulty encountered was related to connection issues (33%).
Overall, confidence in digital technology has increased by 5 points compared to the previous year.
All services benefit: e-administration (+ 3pts), social networks (+10 pts), e-commerce (+ 4pts), online banking (+ 5pts).
On the other hand, the issue of data protection remains a major concern for many Internet users and 80% admit to deploying strategies to avoid sharing them (ad blockers, cleaning of the cache and cookies, etc.)
2020 marked a breakthrough in the use of digital technology and there will be no turning back.
The French say they want to continue using them more in the future.
Moreover, since the end of the first confinement, 84% of them say they use the Internet more, whether for their work or their personal life.
Six out of 10 French people plan to continue teleconsultations for their health.
