Both Slovaks and Czechs are active online, but Slovaks are generally heavier users of social media and chat platforms. (source: TASR/AP)
Although X (formerly Twitter) has never gained strong traction in Slovakia, many of its users there are unhappy with the platform’s owner, Elon Musk, and its perceived ideological direction.
Since Musk’s takeover of the platform in late 2022, 55 percent of Slovak users have reduced their activity on X, and 20 percent have quit it altogether. These findings come from a recent comparative survey by the Central European Digital Media Observatory (CEDMO), conducted in Slovakia and Czechia earlier this year. In Slovakia, data was collected by the Ipsos agency in February and March, with sample sizes of 1,590 and 1,612 participants.
The survey explored how people in both countries use social media and chat platforms, and how they manage their online privacy. The full report is available here.
More use, less care
Both Slovaks and Czechs are active online, but Slovaks are generally heavier users.
More than half (53 percent) of Slovaks use chat apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, and Signal several times a day, compared to 44 percent of Czechs. A further 14 percent of Slovaks and 9 percent of Czechs use them once a day. In contrast, 8 percent of Slovaks and 14 percent of Czechs don’t use these apps at all.
A similar pattern emerges with social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. These are used multiple times a day by 49 percent of Slovaks and 37 percent of Czechs, and once daily by 16 percent of Slovaks and 12 percent of Czechs. While only 12 percent of Slovaks avoid social media altogether, nearly a quarter of Czechs do.
However, Czechs tend to use digital platforms more cautiously. For example, 43 percent of Czech users said they adjust post visibility to specific groups or contacts. In Slovakia, just 8 percent do the same, while 28 percent admit they don’t know what their current privacy settings are. In Czechia, only 10 percent are unsure.
X remains a minor player
X has never been a major platform in either country. Only 40 percent of Slovaks and 53 percent of Czechs are even aware of it. Just 11 percent of Slovaks and 14 percent of Czechs have used it at least once.
Among those who reduced or stopped using X after Musk’s takeover, 53 percent of Czechs and one-third of Slovaks cited Musk’s behaviour as the reason. Additionally, 42 percent of Czechs and 30 percent of Slovaks said they disagreed with the platform’s ideological direction.
Despite these concerns, 42 percent of Czechs and 45 percent of Slovaks still view X as a platform that supports free speech. However, 51 percent of Czechs and 43 percent of Slovaks believe it also enables the spread of false information.
