The digital divide has grown old: Determinants of a digital divide among seniors
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.
New Media Soc.