Can language foster digital inclusion? Exploring the impact of linguistic factors on the digital engagement of Hungarians in Romania

Abstract

This study explores whether and how linguistic resources foster digital engagement and digital inclusion in multilingual settings. We focus on Hungarians in Romania, a traditional ethnic and linguistic minority group, which live in a country where overall connectivity is high but average digital skills remain low, and which developed a strong native-language institutional system. Using representative survey data (N = 1688) and linear models, we estimate the separate contributions of demographic, socioeconomic, technological (digital skills, self-efficacy, time online, social support), and linguistic factors (frequency of online Hungarian use; proficiency in Romanian and English) to six domains of digital engagement: information seeking, work and services, learning, communication, entertainment, and e-commerce. Findings suggest that digital skills and digital self-efficacy are the strong, independent predictors of more beneficial online activities, while English is the most consistent linguistic predictor of advanced and socio-economically beneficial engagement (learning, working, and using digital services), while Hungarian language use supports only socio-economically less beneficial and complex activities, such as online communication, social media engagement, or entertainment. Romanian, the official state language, plays a limited role in predicting digital engagement across domains, most probably because Hungarian speakers rarely use Romanian online. Implications are twofold. First, and foremost, self-sufficient and extended minority-language ecosystems do not automatically translate into beneficial digital engagement; the effects of online native language use are domain-specific and are not effective enough if individuals do not possess digital skills and -self-efficacy. From a policy perspective, expanding minority-language content alone is insufficient to reduce digital inequalities, targeted interventions regarding digital skills are needed.