age

• Statistics:

  • over 8 in 10 adults go online. Nearly all 16-24s and 25s-34s are now online
  • 6 in 10 adults use a smartphone
• Digital generation divide


  The old are less likely to use digital communication, the young are reliant on it
• The generational divide is not particular to digital communication

  it can be seen within the media, with younger generation taking interest in music (pop and rock) and adults interested in alternative types of music
• Young people are

  • More receptive to learning new skills demanded by new technology
  • More keen to explore their emergent adult identities, digital communication can be the most effective way to do so
  • Put greater importance on peer groups & social networks, which may be another reason why they use digital communication
• Youth today have much more access to expensive technology

  This enables them to engage in digital communication
• Young people have more free time as they have less responsibilities

  • Digital communication is an effective way of communication
• Amongst those who do not have access to the internet, people cite non-material reasons, such as lack of skills/interest to explain why they aren't online
• There are psychological barriers preventing older people from accessing the web, these reasons appear to be more significant than material factors
• There has been content designed specifically to encourage older people to use the internet
• 79% of households below the state pension age have internet access, while only 37% of households above the state pension age do so
• evaluation: Things are changing, and older generations are beginning to use digital forms of communication much more frequently. this is because

  • they may have taken longer to acquire the skills which are necessary to use them.
  • people are becoming aware of the need to use digital forms of communication for work.