Nearly half of Gen Z say they live double lives online – shocking study reveals one in five generations has a secret online personality

Nearly half of Generation Z admit to leading a double life online, research shows.

Experts who surveyed 2,000 Americans found that 46 percent of 16- to 24-year-olds felt there was a significant difference between their online and real-life selves.

One in five people across all generations also admitted to having a secret internet personality that no one else knew about.

Experts behind the study today urged people to have more conversations between friends and family ‘to understand each other’s worlds’, but warned the study was purely observational.

Gerald Youngblood, Chief Marketing Officer for North America at technology company Lenovo, who conducted the research, said: ‘About one in five young people in the world have a mental health condition, reflecting a global crisis.

“We hope this social experiment will lead to more conversations between friends and family about the need to understand each other’s worlds for the sake of mental well-being.”

The 2,000 people surveyed were evenly divided by generation, Lenovo said.

Experts found that 38 percent of millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, 18 percent of Generation were online. they present themselves in real life.

Meanwhile, nearly a third of Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2012, said they hid their online world from family. Just over a quarter of millennials said the same.

More than half of Gen Z claim they find it easier to express themselves online than offline, compared to 40 percent of respondents overall and less than a quarter of Boomers.

However, experts also found that Generation Z is not necessarily happier living a double life online.

The survey found that 68 percent of Generation Z respondents felt a disconnect between who they are online and offline. Those who experience this say it leads to feelings of anxiety (18 percent), loneliness (17 percent) and depression (15 percent). cents).

When asked which topics they would rather share online than offline, around a fifth said they would be more likely to share their ambitions on the internet compared to face-to-face, with 22 percent stating their likes or dislikes, 19 percent stating their beliefs – political or otherwise – 17 percent their fears and insecurities and 15 percent their opinions and values.

The survey also found that 61 percent of Gen Z said they would like to have challenging conversations with friends and family offline.

Of the 23 percent of younger adults who feel more comfortable being themselves online, 27 percent said they believe they won’t face judgment online, while 22 percent are not afraid to be authentic and 23 percent are stronger has built relationships online.

Still, 54 percent of Gen Z said speaking with a trained professional would boost their confidence to communicate more openly with their loved ones in the real world.