Bezeq’s internet report for 2023 combined expected trends with surprising ones, especially in the context of China.
Unsurprisingly, Israel is also caught up in the global popularity of TikTok. While in 2014 only 2% of respondents aged 18 and over used the app, in 2023 already 26% said that they use it, compared to Facebook, which decreased by about 2% during these years, and Instagram, which moderately increased by 6% among these users. TikTok is the second most popular social network among teenagers under the age of 18, with 48% in this age group using it; when the sub-group “kids” is added, the percentage of users jumps to 74%.
Youth are using TikTok as not only a social network but also for diverse needs. For example, 65% of teenagers prefer TikTok for streaming; 10% use TikTok’s STEMFeed for educational purposes; and about 18% of respondents over the age of 13 have used the app to purchase products in the past year.
The surprising side of the report relates to online purchases. After Hamas’s attack on October 7, 56% of the respondents claimed that they deleted the SHEIN app—the Chinese fast-casual clothing giant. Although the company’s sales in Israel fell by 61% during 2023, they significantly declined since October; in contrast, shopping on the Israeli Terminal X website has increased.
This trend may indicate the reaction of Israelis to the disappointing Chinese statements, to say the least, about the massacre. The Israelis, as the data implies, do not want to support Chinese companies at this time. Although it seems that SHEIN was financially damaged by the war, TikTok—owned by the Chinese company ByteDance—was less affected, and its use even increased during the war. In other words, Israelis do not want to buy from those they do not consider friends, but they are certainly willing to use their platforms to spread the Israeli narrative—with 65% of Israelis participating in advocacy activities on social networks.
ByGSpeech
Bezeq’s internet report for 2023 combined expected trends with surprising ones, especially in the context of China.
Unsurprisingly, Israel is also caught up in the global popularity of TikTok. While in 2014 only 2% of respondents aged 18 and over used the app, in 2023 already 26% said that they use it, compared to Facebook, which decreased by about 2% during these years, and Instagram, which moderately increased by 6% among these users. TikTok is the second most popular social network among teenagers under the age of 18, with 48% in this age group using it; when the sub-group “kids” is added, the percentage of users jumps to 74%.
Youth are using TikTok as not only a social network but also for diverse needs. For example, 65% of teenagers prefer TikTok for streaming; 10% use TikTok’s STEMFeed for educational purposes; and about 18% of respondents over the age of 13 have used the app to purchase products in the past year.
The surprising side of the report relates to online purchases. After Hamas’s attack on October 7, 56% of the respondents claimed that they deleted the SHEIN app—the Chinese fast-casual clothing giant. Although the company’s sales in Israel fell by 61% during 2023, they significantly declined since October; in contrast, shopping on the Israeli Terminal X website has increased.
This trend may indicate the reaction of Israelis to the disappointing Chinese statements, to say the least, about the massacre. The Israelis, as the data implies, do not want to support Chinese companies at this time. Although it seems that SHEIN was financially damaged by the war, TikTok—owned by the Chinese company ByteDance—was less affected, and its use even increased during the war. In other words, Israelis do not want to buy from those they do not consider friends, but they are certainly willing to use their platforms to spread the Israeli narrative—with 65% of Israelis participating in advocacy activities on social networks.