Ana Vasconcelos· Renew

False

85% of Europeans consider connectivity a basic need

Error detected

The claim incorrectly states that 85% of Europeans consider connectivity a basic need. The 85% figure actually refers to the percentage of European households that have an internet connection at home (penetration rate), not an opinion survey result about connectivity being a basic need.

Omissions

• The 85% figure refers to internet penetration (households with internet access), not to citizens considering connectivity a basic need
• The actual percentage of Europeans considering connectivity/Internet essential for daily life is 80%, not 85%
• The speaker conflated two different metrics from the same Eurobarometer survey

Sources

• PrimaryEurobarometer - e-Communications and Digital Single Market Survey 202585% of households have internet access at home (penetration rate), not that 85% consider it a basic need
• SecondaryTelefónica - Eurobarometer 2025: Challenges of the Digital Decade in Europe80% of respondents consider that the availability and affordability of high-speed internet connections are essential to support daily use of digital services