Written by Nima, 2021 Cohort
Despite increasing numbers of older adults accessing the Internet, fear of making mistakes and wider concerns about their social responsibility are among the reasons why many older people are still rejecting digital technologies.
The division may become more problematic as more vital services move online. Studies show this is not primarily rooted in inaccessibility issues. Many older people believe that using digital technologies is very time-consuming and it’s placing a burden on them to become an expert. They are mostly worried about their security and if they are doing things wrong, or maybe risking their savings. There are also some of them who believe using so many digital technologies may have many negative effects on society. They worry if online shopping takes businesses from local shops. They carry this worry with themselves if new technologies end up with people at the main office or banks lose their jobs.
Dr. Knowles, from Lancaster University, said:
“The fact that digital technologies can and do make certain jobs obsolete is a common concern for older adults who worry about their grandchildren’s job prospects. Developing solutions to attend to this wider societal problem appears to be key to fostering acceptance of digital technologies among older adults.”
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180312091715.htm
The fact that older people have a strong sense of social responsibility may be a very important factor why many older people reject using digital technology.
Researchers also say the elderly use their age as an excuse not to engage with technology. For example, someone who doesn’t like social media because of their many personal reasons says they are ‘too old’ as a convenient and socially acceptable way, as there are fewer expectations from an older person to use social media.
In conclusion, we can say, getting older people to use more digital media is not only a matter of tweaking a few apps or websites, but it requires addressing more accurate and wider social implications of technology.