New Media & Society· 2014Q1
The digital divide has grown old: Determinants of a digital divide among seniors
- 1,082citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2014year
Short summary
Internet use among seniors (65+) is significantly lower for those aged 70+ and is strongly influenced by education, income, technical interest, pre-retirement computer use, and marital status, with family/friend encouragement and private learning being key predictors.
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Key points
- Seniors aged 70+ are partially excluded from internet use compared to younger seniors.
- Education, income, technical interest, pre-retirement computer use, and marital status are key determinants of internet adoption among seniors.
- Gender differences in internet use among seniors disappear when controlling for socioeconomic and technical factors.
- Encouragement from family/friends and informal learning settings significantly predict internet use in seniors.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
The diffusion of the Internet is reaching a level between 80% and 90% in Western societies. Yet, while the digital divide is closing for young cohorts, it is still an issue when comparing various generations. This study focuses specifically on the so-called ‘grey divide’, a divide among seniors of age 65+ years. Based on a representative survey in Switzerland ( N = 1105), it is found that Internet use is strongly skewed in this age group leading to a partial exclusion of the old seniors (70+). Logistic regression shows that gender differences in usage disappear if controlled for education, income, technical interest, pre-retirement computer use and marital status. Furthermore, the social context appears to have a manifold influence on Internet use. Encouragement by family and friends is a strong predictor for Internet use, and private learning settings are preferred over professional courses. Implications for digital inequality initiatives and further research are discussed.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. New Media & Society, 2014 · DOI ↗
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Field: Demography
DemographySocial Sciences