According to a survey conducted by the IT industry association Bitkom, young people frequently present versions of themselves on the internet that are happier than their actual reality. Specifically, one in four individuals aged 16 to 29 admits to representing themselves as happier online than they are in real life. Furthermore, over half of this younger demographic (53%) stated that conveying a positive overall impression online is important to them.
These figures are markedly higher among younger respondents compared to older age brackets. For those over 30, only 11% reported presenting a happier self online, and 28% indicated that maintaining a positive overall impression is a priority.
Beyond projecting greater happiness, younger people also report frequently curating aspects of their lives online, claiming to be more confident, interesting, social (all at 24%), more attractive or fun (both at 18%), more successful (11%), or more athletic (10%) than they might otherwise appear.
The extent to which people feel they accurately reflect reality also differs by age. Only 29% of those aged 16 to 29 say they present themselves online exactly as they are in real life; this figure rises significantly to 65% for those over 60.
Bitkom Research gathered this data by surveying 1,449 internet users across Germany, aged 16 and older. The poll took place during the third and fourth calendar weeks of 2026.