Germany is stuck in digital mediocrity. With a level of digitalization of only 59 out of a possible 100 points and a minimal increase of one point from the previous year, it reveals itself as a country that is not progressing in the digital transformation.

This mediocrity becomes particularly critical when considering the digital transformation as a field of competition. Although a life without digital skills is still possible in Germany, the hurdles for social participation and personal development are steadily increasing. Individual competitiveness, whether in the workplace or everyday life, increasingly depends on digital skills. Even more serious are the impacts on the democratic order. Media literacy is no longer optional additional knowledge but a fundamental building block for informed participation in democratic processes. Digital mediocrity thus endangers not only individual success but also social stability and democratic resilience.

The divided digital society

The digital divide runs through German society like a deep fissure. While 48% of citizens see digitalization as an opportunity, 52% are distant, skeptical, or opposed to digital change. Only 63% of people have sufficient digital resilience—a value that has stagnated for two years. This divide manifests along social lines. Men (68%) are more resilient than women (58%), and people with high education (78%) are significantly better equipped than those with low education (43%). Social differences threaten to be exacerbated by digitalization instead of reduced.

The stagnant competence base

Particularly alarming is the stagnation in digital skills. For two years, the proportion of Germans with basic digital skills has remained at only 49%—far from the EU target of 80% by 2030. This stagnation reflects a fundamental problem. 27% have not learned new digital skills in the past year, often because they wrongly see no need. The digital education situation is critically assessed. Only 30% believe that schools impart the necessary digital skills—a figure that has remained at this low level for years.

The misunderstood technological transformation

Although 77% of respondents expect that certain activities or professions will disappear due to digitalization by 2035, only 27% relate this forecast to their own workplace—a classic 'ostrich effect'. At the same time, only 16% use professional training offers on digital topics. In the field of artificial intelligence, a similar discrepancy is evident. 39% use AI applications, but only 25% can recognize AI-generated content. The significance and impact of digital transformation are systematically underestimated.

The endangered information competence

The lack of media competence in the digital realm poses a growing challenge. 44% of respondents inherently trust search engines, and only 51% can adequately assess the quality of digital information and its sources. Particularly concerning. 11% of the population (even 29% of Generation Z+) rely (almost) exclusively on social media for political topics—a trend that endangers fact-based opinion formation.

The missed ecological transformation

The connection between digital and ecological transformation is not recognized by many people. 44% miss information about the impact of digital tools on the environment. Although digitalization offers significant potential for climate protection and sustainability, only 28% use digital tools in this area—a largely untapped potential for a sustainable future.

This litany of the D21 Digital Index paints a picture of a country that, despite its economic strength, is falling behind in digital transformation, stagnating in digital skills, and whose social divide appears to deepen further through digitalization. The recurring message. Germany faces great digital challenges, the overcoming of which requires a collective effort from society.