Increased internet use among older people
According to a recent study, 90% and 73% of older people between 55-64 and 65-74 respectively use the internet in Greece. The last 2 years marked an increase of 11% and 21% of them. As the percentage of internet users in Greece has grown to 94% (in contrast to 90% at the end of 2019) most recent “digital citizens” are Greeks aged 55+.
The pandemic has had a huge impact on older people and for a while they seemed completely opposed to technology, the situation may have changed. With so many apps at their disposal, older people have indeed embraced digital technology at an increased rate than ever before. As of 2015, 80% of the population using the internet in Greece belongs to the age group of 18-35. It is therefore not surprising that older Greeks are playing around with their internet usage.
Now they access the internet from a range of devices. 53% use the web daily to find information and communicate with others via social networking sites, while 71% do some form of online shopping (with a significant increase in the amount they spend online) etc. The biggest increase in the last two years has been among the 55-64 age group. Online seminars, e-banking and e-commerce have helped with the connection to technology and the increased internet use among older people.
Average internet connection time
The average internet connection time in this age group from a mobile phone is now 85 minutes per day. In the second half of 2019 the average time of screen time was 53 minutes. 67% of 55+ year olds have made at least one online purchase in the last six months, up 58% compared to the end of 2019. They spent an average of 853 on their purchases in the last six months in the second half of 2021, compared to 554 in 2019. 86% of 55-64 year olds use social media and the average time spent on social media is 62 minutes per day.
The survey has two stages: a) Telephone interviews with a representative nationwide sample of 10,000 people per semester, covering the total population of the country from 13 to 74 years old and b) Online interviews with 1,000 active internet users, covering the population from 16 to 64 years old.
In the recent years, more and more people are better acquainted with the internet. The phenomenon, of increased internet use among older people, didn’t just evolve during the past year. Find more stories here.
Just as interesting are the results of surveys in other European countries. More or less the numbers are the same. Find more information by following the link, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/edn-20210517-1 .
Author: PC-GR
The World of Technology
