The world of young people across the globe. Credit Suisse Youth Barometer 2020.

In all four countries surveyed, the pandemic and its consequences are among the main concerns of respondents. Around a fifth of young people in Switzerland, and a third of those in the US, Brazil and Singapore, say that the coronavirus crisis has led to a deterioration in their personal and financial situation. Many of them also find that the pandemic has been a stark reminder of the extent of global interdependencies. On the other hand, many young people have found some positives in a decelerated life during lockdown – and most agree largely with governments' and authorities' measures to mitigate the pandemic.

The proportion of young people who feel political commitment is important has risen significantly since 2018. They are increasingly keen to play an active role campaigning on issues such as the environment and climate protection, as well as gender equality. However, although the young people surveyed see a clear need for action on a wide variety of topics, they do not generally accuse the government of their country of having failed. In addition, the current coronavirus crisis demonstrates that 16- to 25-year olds are constructive and supportive across the generations in difficult times such as these.

Young people's lives are influenced by trends in digital communications and entertainment. What's "in," as well as what young people are using and what they identify with, is also heavily dependent on digital capabilities. In line with this, the transition away from traditional media to social media, including as a source of news coverage, has further accelerated, and interest in the news has declined. While a majority of young people still read, watch or listen to the news on some channel more than once a day, the number of those who do not is getting bigger. Reaching millennials and post-millennials through traditional channels such as newspapers, TV and the radio is becoming increasingly difficult.