Kaspersky survey finds Gen Z most aware of digital environmental cost

A Kaspersky survey released on International E-Waste Day says Generation Z is the most digitally immersed generation and also the most aware of technology's environmental impact, according to the cyber security company's internal market research centre.

The company reported that 20 percent of Gen Z respondents identified environmental damage caused by digital infrastructure as a risk for future generations, which it said was the highest proportion among the generations surveyed globally. Twenty-two percent of Gen Z respondents pointed to overconsumption and increasing waste as a concern, against 19 percent overall, the survey found.

Kaspersky said almost six in ten Gen Z respondents, or 59 percent, reported feeling confident in the digital environment. It described the findings as an emerging paradox: a generation that is deeply embedded in digital life while also conscious of the resources needed to manufacture and replace devices and to store, process and transmit growing volumes of data.

Eleven percent of respondents identified green data centres as a promising trend for the future, according to the survey. Kaspersky said the results raise a question about how Gen Z's expectations could shape the technology industry as the generation becomes a larger group of consumers, employees and eventually decision-makers, potentially adding to demand for more sustainable solutions.

The findings were released to mark International E-Waste Day. The survey was conducted by Kaspersky's internal market research centre; the company did not disclose the number of respondents or the countries covered in the material provided.