MediaPost reports on a new study from the Pew Research Internet Center saying that "not only is there a gap between young and old in terms of Internet know-how, there is a division among older folks who get it and older folks who don't get it.:"
Basically, it works out like one would expect - that richer, better educated, healthier and not-quite-as-old people embrace the Internet and all it offers, while older old people with less money, less education, more health problems tend to be more disconnected.
The story goes on to say that "since 2012, more than half of older adults are Internet users. Today, 59% go online, a substantial six-percentage point jump in one year. Nearly half have a high speed connection, and 77% have cell phones, all per Pew. And 71% go online every day.
"But on the flip side, 41% don’t use the Internet at all. And 35% of older non-Internet users disagree with the statement that they are missing out on something important and 18% within that group 'strongly disagree'."
Basically, it works out like one would expect - that richer, better educated, healthier and not-quite-as-old people embrace the Internet and all it offers, while older old people with less money, less education, more health problems tend to be more disconnected.
The story goes on to say that "since 2012, more than half of older adults are Internet users. Today, 59% go online, a substantial six-percentage point jump in one year. Nearly half have a high speed connection, and 77% have cell phones, all per Pew. And 71% go online every day.
"But on the flip side, 41% don’t use the Internet at all. And 35% of older non-Internet users disagree with the statement that they are missing out on something important and 18% within that group 'strongly disagree'."
- KC's View:
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While none of this is particularly surprising, it is interesting to see these numbers quantified. It seems inevitable that the numbers of disconnected people are going to go down as the years pass, which is a good thing.
So much of this is inevitable. For example, people with more money tend to be better educated, which means that they pay attention to their own health needs, and have the interest in and can afford to invest in technology.
