Today is Safer Internet Day, a day to promote the safer and more responsible use of online technologies and mobile phones. On this occasion, we look at the most common identification procedures used for accessing online services (please note that an internet user can use more than one identification procedure).
In 2020, 3 in 4 people in the EU aged 16-74 logged in to online services using their username and password. This share varied across the EU Member States: in the Netherlands, 91% of people aged 16-74 used this login method, whereas Romania recorded the lowest share (45%).
The second most popular identification procedure was a ‘code received by message on a mobile phone’, which was used by 46% of people aged 16 -74. It was followed by use of a ‘social media login’ (34%), an ‘electronic identification certificate or card used for example with a card reader or with an app’ (22%) as well as a ‘single-use PIN code list or random characters of a password’ (22%).
Source dataset: isoc_cisci_ip20
Identification procedure involving mobile phone most popular in Denmark, lowest in Bulgaria
The share of people who logged in to online services using their mobile phone where a code is received through a message also varied across the EU. The highest shares were observed in Denmark (76%), the Netherlands (74%) and Czechia (73%).
In contrast, the lowest shares were recorded in Bulgaria (9%), Romania (14%), Greece and Lithuania (both 22%).
Source dataset: isoc_cisci_ip20
Eurostat recently published 2020 data for the Community survey on ICT usage in households and by individuals; the full data from the survey is available here.
Notes:
- The data in this article are based on the annual survey on use of ICT in households and by individuals; the results above refer to individuals’ experiences during the last 3 months prior to the survey. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the timing of this 3-month reference period varies across countries.
- 2020 data for France and Italy are not available. As a result, EU value has been estimated.
- The European Union (EU) includes 27 EU Member States. The United Kingdom left the European Union on 31 January 2020. Further information is published here.
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