The Dutch are among the most internet-aware people in Europe but there is a growing divide between people who really know what they are doing online and those who don’t, the Volkskrant reports on Wednesday.

In particular, the over-65s have made enormous advances in the way they use the internet over the past four years, according to new research from national statistics office CBS.

Some 86% of the Dutch can send emails and 46% have experience with using internet phone services such as Skype. Three out of 10 share music and films using internet.

Skills

However, internet expert Henk van Ess told the Volkskrant that the research says nothing about how people actually use the internet and social media channels.

Communication scientist Alexander van Deursen from the University of Twente said many people still find it hard to use search engines efficiently or evaluate the information they find with a criticial eye. These, he said, are much more important qualities to develop.

‘Older users have learned not to accept everything they are told but young people often take information on board without question,’ Van Deursen said. ‘Our research showed that young people are often happy with the initial results of their search.’

Last year, the Dutch academy for scientific research KNAW warned that Dutch school pupils would be ‘digitally illiterate’ unless changes were made in the way IT is taught at schools, the Volkskrant points out.