Digital Divide: 38 Percent Lack Basic Skills
Almost all Swiss are online, but not all can use digital services securely and independently. The new divide is based on knowledge, trust, and support.
The traditional digital divide was simple: some had internet, others did not. In Switzerland, this gap has largely vanished. Virtually all households have access. However, a more complex dividing line has emerged – between people who can use digital services securely and independently, and those who regularly encounter difficulties.
According to the DigitalBarometer 2026, 38 percent of the population lack sufficient basic digital skills. This extends beyond device usage. It refers to abilities such as evaluating information, protecting passwords, filling out online forms, or recognizing manipulated messages.
Access Does Not Equal Participation
A smartphone in one's pocket does not guarantee digital sovereignty. Many applications are easy to use when everything works. It becomes more challenging with a locked account, a fake message, a new government registration, or an automated decision requiring explanation.
Requirements are increasing, especially in crucial areas of life. Banks shift services to e-banking, insurance companies communicate via customer portals, doctor's appointments are booked online, and administrations digitize applications. Those who are uncertain take longer, make more errors, or forgo these services entirely.
The consequences are unequally distributed socially. Individuals with low formal education, people in poverty, and very elderly individuals are particularly vulnerable. They more often lack devices, training opportunities, or a person to assist with problems.
Age Explains Much – But Not Everything
A University of Zurich study in 2025 showed significant age differences. 91 percent of 20 to 29-year-olds rated their internet skills as good or excellent. For those over 70, this figure was 59 percent. This is a significant gap, but not a reason for blanket age stereotypes: A majority of older people manage well, while even young people can be overwhelmed by data protection or source verification.
Digital competence is not acquired knowledge that lasts indefinitely. Technologies and fraud methods change. Someone secure five years ago may now struggle with passkeys, deepfakes, or AI-generated phishing emails. Further education must therefore be seen as ongoing infrastructure – similar to language skills or professional qualifications.
Artificial Intelligence Accelerates Change
The use of generative AI is growing particularly fast. According to the DigitalBarometer, the proportion of users increased from 50 to 75 percent within two years. Applications write texts, translate, explain documents, or create images. They lower barriers but also create new ones.
Those who adopt results without verification can spread false information. Entering confidential data into a public service risks data protection issues. And those who do not recognize an image or voice as artificially generated are more easily manipulated.
The digital divide therefore no longer separates only users and non-users. It runs between people who use tools critically and those who blindly trust them or completely avoid them out of fear.
The State Bears Special Responsibility
Digital administrative services can save time and money. They are accessible 24/7 and reduce paperwork. However, government services are not ordinary apps. Citizens cannot simply forgo tax returns, permits, or social benefits.
Therefore, a principle of equivalent accessibility is needed. Digital paths may become standard, but analogue or personal support must remain available. A phone number, a counter, or clear instructions are not a step backward but part of inclusive digitalization.
Design is equally important. Clear language, few steps, accessible interfaces, and understandable error messages help not only older people. They improve a service for everyone.
What Companies and Schools Can Do
Employers should not equate digital competence with owning a laptop. Training must focus on specific tasks: securely sharing data, verifying AI results, recognizing attempted fraud, and seeking help when uncertain. Small businesses, in particular, benefit from simple rules and clear contact persons.
Schools, in turn, must teach media literacy and critical judgment more strongly, in addition to operational knowledge. Young people quickly learn new apps but are not automatically skilled at evaluating sources, interests, and technical limitations. Parents and teachers also need further training if they are to provide credible guidance.
Libraries, municipalities, and associations can offer low-threshold learning environments. Initiatives that solve real problems are particularly effective – such as a government login, a secure payment, or recognizing a fake message.
What This Means for Everyday Life
For Swiss citizens, digital self-defense is becoming a basic skill. This includes unique passwords or passkeys, two-factor authentication, regular updates, and skepticism regarding time pressure or payment requests. For AI, the rule is: useful as an assistant, unsuitable as a final authority.
Those who need support should receive it without feeling ashamed. Digital uncertainty is not a personal failing. Often, systems are unnecessarily complicated or assume knowledge that was never taught.
Switzerland is technically exceptionally well-connected. However, whether it is also socially digitally integrated is not decided by network coverage. Crucial is whether people understand and control a service, and can choose an alternative access if necessary. Only then does technical connection become true participation.
Sources
- Risk Dialogue Foundation: DigitalBarometer 2026 – https://www.risiko-dialog.ch/digitalbarometer-2026/
- DigitalBarometer 2026, Full Report – https://www.digitalbarometer.ch/uploads/2026/2026_DB_D.pdf
- University of Zurich: World Internet Project Switzerland 2025 – https://www.news.uzh.ch/de/articles/media/2025/WIP.html
- Digital Administration Switzerland: Monitoring Report 2026 – digitale-verwaltung-schweiz.ch/application/files/9417/7804/…
As of: September 9, 2026.
