Over 60s and the Internet

We all know that the internet and social media are changing the way we think about communication, shopping, research and socialisation. Many polls conducted online would suggest that all age groups are surfing the net with unbounded enthusiasm. However, recent research conducted by the Australian Government[1] shows a clear divide between some Boomers and Seniors when it comes to understanding, take-up and skill-sets when using and adapting to this new technology. The majority of Boomers are jumping online and embracing a great deal of what cyberspace has to offer – however, many Seniors are more suspicious of the online environment and find it difficult to see the value of this “brave new world”.

Close to 80% of Australians aged 45-54 access the internet. The majority of Boomers are happy with the convenience, ease of access and advantages the internet provides. To them, it’s primarily a “fact centre”, rather than a “social centre”. More than 90% check their emails, two-thirds regularly search or browse the web, some 50% use online banking and almost half of them check the weather online. They’re looking for product information, news updates and want to stay in touch with friends and family.

Yet Australian Boomers’ uptake of social media (including facebook and twitter) remains at the lower end. Only 15% do so in the 50-64 age group. Less than 12% watch movies online, click onto Youtube and fewer than 6% read blogs. Barriers to Australian take up include a complete lack of interest (42%), with respondents saying “social media doesn’t appeal”. This is closely followed by Boomers’ perception that social media interaction is “too time consuming” (20%), followed by concerns over breaches of privacy (16%).

Nevertheless, the more educated Aussie Boomers are more likely to engage with social media. According to Roy Morgan Research (June 2012), Boomers with 100K invested and a university degree are 20% more likely than their peers to have used social networking (such as facebook)

Some over 65s, however, are really lagging behind when it comes to both internet and social media use. Twenty-two percent of the 65-74 age group never access the internet and less than one-quarter of the 75+ group go online at all.

Currently, reasons for the over 65s not accessing the internet include the perception that it is complex and difficult to use and concerns that it is too expensive to run, with prohibitive charges. Women on an income of $30,000 per annum or less were most likely to view internet access as expensive.

Fear of the unknown was an important factor (almost 45%), showing that lack of education and awareness are key determinants of internet usage in this age group. Geographical factors, such as living in a remote area or a physical disability like poor eyesight again contributed to the over 65s not accessing the internet.

Keeping in contact with family, accessing cheap phone calls or e-health technologies will become increasingly important to an ageing population. The internet and social networking can also promote cognitive awareness amongst the elderly, create avenues for learning and prevent social isolation. Although the new technology may be viewed as challenging, the push to improve internet accessibility and increase user skills is a must for the national agenda, with initiatives such as NBN roll-out an important tool in that process.

photo credit: Stuck in Customs via photopin cc