Digital media as ambiguous goods: Examining the digital well-being experiences and disconnection practices of Belgian adults

Abstract

Drawing from a cross-sectional survey (N = 1000), this study examines (1) the extent to which Belgian adults experience digital well-being (i.e. perceive agency over and functional support from the use of digital media), (2) which digital disconnection strategies they use to limit connectivity, (3) how their use of these strategies relates to their digital well-being, and (4) whether different user groups can be identified in terms of digital well-being experiences. We find evidence for ambivalence in the relationship towards digital media. Popular disconnection strategies involve access restrictions. Those reporting less agency generally disconnect more. Lastly, a typology based on respondents' digital well-being scores reveals four clusters of indifferent, enthusiastic, ambivalent, and sceptical digital media users that differ in demographic, personality and media use/ownership characteristics. Collectively, this study gives insight into how digital well-being and digital disconnection are distributed, lifting the veil over who might be more susceptible to struggling with constant connectivity.