About one in four German people under the age of 30 has already ended a relationship by text or messenger, according to a survey by the IT industry association Bitkom that was released on Friday. Across all age groups the figure is 13 %, while the 16‑ to 29‑year‑olds report a figure of 25 %.
Even with the many digital options in use, the most common way to break up remains a face‑to‑face conversation. Sixty percent of respondents say they have ended a relationship in person before, but among younger participants the number falls to 45 %. The preference for a direct talk is higher for the 30‑ to 49‑year‑olds (66 %) and especially for the 50‑ to 59‑year‑olds (67 %).
In addition to personal meetings and messenger apps, phone calls are also used as a break‑up method. Twelve percent of respondents have chosen this route. Other digital channels play a smaller role: four percent have used social networks; four percent have ended a relationship via e‑mail; and eight percent have left a partner by ordinary letter. Finally, nine percent have stopped a relationship by “ghosting” i.e., a sudden cut‑off of contact.
Bitkom Research carried out the online survey with 1,449 Internet users aged 16 and older in Germany. The survey was conducted between the third and fourth calendar weeks of 2026.
