With the expansion of information sources and media channels over the past decades, media and information literacy (MIL) has become more important than ever. The aim of MIL is to provide people with the competencies and skills that enable them to engage responsibly and effectively with online media and information. With the exponential growth of digital resources, the need to develop digital media and information literacy (DMIL) has become increasingly urgent.
Do people over 60 have the necessary skills to use digital media?
In many regions of the world, it is not only young people who have access to digital media. Older people are also turning to digital media and information sources, often out of necessity (as in cases where public services are provided online), but also for personal reasons, such as keeping in touch with family through social networks. However, there is still a perception that older people are less capable and need interventions to adapt to digital media. This raises the question of whether they possess the necessary competencies to face the challenges of the digital environment – and whether they are sufficiently taken into account in initiatives to develop MIL and DMIL.
According to a DW Akademie analysis on the subject, there is still a lack of comprehensive studies on the media literacy of older adults. Initiatives often focus only on the technical aspect of digital skills and not on broader media competences, while most studies have concentrated on developed countries in the North, leaving gaps in the global understanding of the phenomenon.
1. The elderly are not a homogeneous group
In general, people over 60 are often treated as a single category. These older people are often seen as less capable and in need of intervention as a group. However, an analysis of studies on digital skills in this group showed that the age division does not hold for DMIL. Older people have different levels of knowledge and skills in using digital media, as well as different motivations and interests in using technology. Even research within a single country has shown that digital media use is diverse within the group.
In Sweden, one of the most digitally connected countries in the world, it was found that people aged 80–85 use the internet much less frequently than those aged 60–80.As of 2014, internet use among the 60–64 age group was already in line with the rest of the population. In Iceland, research showed that in 2012 older people sought more information online than in 2002, but the 60–67 age group had become more critical of the information they received online. These findings highlight that, within the “over 60” group, digital skills vary significantly, both in accessing information and in evaluating it.
2. Age is not the most important factor in determining digital media use
Analysis of studies showed that age is not the main factor determining digital media use among older adults. Instead, social characteristics and education level seem to be more decisive. In one study, people with lower education, poor health, memory problems, and living alone, were more at risk of digital exclusion.
A German study on adults aged 65–90 showed that younger men with university education had more extensive and skilled use of the Internet. A Swedish study showed that among the 66–85 age group, general internet usage habits, gender, and political interests were the main factors influencing access to online news.
An international study that compared seniors in Canada, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden found that age was the least important factor in how they used their smartphones – while national policies, sociocultural context and education had a greater impact. Different groups among seniors use the internet for different functions, from gaming to various management tasks, such as banking.
So what does this mean? First, although age is not the main determinant of digital literacy, it can make it more difficult for vulnerable groups (e.g. those with limited education or without social support) to access and interpret information.
Secondly, education is important for internet use. Given that literacy levels vary around the world, with women sometimes being less educated, it is important to strengthen basic literacy skills first, while working in parallel on digital skills. It is important to have a special focus on marginalized or disadvantaged groups for DMIL. Approaches to address social inequalities should be considered, in addition to approaches that increase digital and media literacy.
Third, education, physical and mental health, and social context all contribute to the competent use of digital media. Therefore, initiatives need to be comprehensive, considering the whole person and their circumstances, including national policies, and not just access to or use of digital devices.
3. Digital media use and social connections go hand in hand
In a British study for an initiative that taught digital skills to seniors living in the same place, it was found that physical meetings remain important, even preferred to online ones. Also, a study in rural areas in Finland showed that digital competence is better understood as a shared skill in a social context — among elderly couples, three-generation families, and informal networks of villagers — than as an individual skill.
As a result, digital technology and its use must be seen as part of one's repertoire of social connections, so that it somehow fits into existing social connections and habits. It seems to work best by complementing other interactions rather than replacing them.
When considering DMIL programs in specific communities, it is important to look at the existing habits and connections of older adults in order to better understand the type of digital media competencies that can add value to the contexts of those that already exist. Given that they may have more free time compared to younger groups, older adults may be more likely to engage in physical rather than virtual interactions. This is valuable in itself and should not necessarily be replaced by digital skills.
4. The need to learn digital skills should not be taken for granted
Although DMIL is seen as a core set of competencies for digital citizenship, it is important to consider whether all older adults want to acquire these skills.
Studies in Italy, Tajvan and Australia showed that sometimes older adults are not open to acquiring more digital skills or using them. For some, the fact that younger family members could perform digital tasks for them was reason enough not to learn. For others, the reluctance was linked to opposition to social media cultures, such as selfies, which they considered to be against their values and interests.
For another group, learning digital technology and using multimedia messaging was less related to age, education, or gender, but more to an accepting approach to technology and the perceived usefulness of new skills in everyday life.
These findings show that digital competencies are not universal and that there must be added value to everyday life to justify their teaching.
Older people are sometimes reluctant to engage in some social media cultures because they go against their values, interests or needs. This highlights the fact that digital inclusion and participation are not just about access, usage or skills; disuse related to social and generational norms is a reality that needs to be taken into account.
5. Diverse media use, different impact
Like other age groups, seniors over 60 use a variety of media formats, not just digital ones. The impact of this diverse use depends on existing media skills, the competencies they have, and the content they can access.
For example, two studies conducted separately on the media repertoire of older adults yielded quite different results. In a study in the USA, using television as a primary news source was associated with greater resistance to online disinformation. While in Ukraine, a similar study showed the opposite — consumption of old media, especially Russian television, was associated with greater vulnerability to disinformation.
As such, it is not about the type of media channels accessed, but rather the content they provide.
In a Korean study, poor digital skills were associated with greater feelings of loneliness due to increased use of social media. In Spain, the ability to access, analyze, create, and distribute content in different formats was seen as essential for social participation and personal fulfillment for older adults. Thus, digital media literacy appears to matter as a factor in whether media access has a positive or negative impact.
What does this mean for interventions in media development in the field of DMIL?
First, tailored approaches for specific subgroups within the broad “over 60” category are more appropriate. Education, existing internet habits, prior media skills, and social inequalities need to be taken into account. A nuanced approach is key, not a one-size-fits-all model.
Second, DMIL may not be the most appropriate solution in some situations. It is necessary to assess whether digital skills are truly useful for the daily life of older people in a given context, in order to decide on interventions. Interventions for people over 60 may be more appropriate with a broader focus that includes a range of MIL skills rather than focusing only on DMIL skills.
Third, improving the skills of DMIL should not only focus on improving their individual skills, but should also take into account the information environment they live in. Individual competencies are important, but an enabling environment is equally essential.
In conclusion, although there are still gaps in knowledge about older people and digital media, these reflections show that a more nuanced approach is needed towards people over 60 and the skills they bring. Older people are not always in need of intervention or helpless in the face of technology. On the contrary, they have strengths that are often overlooked and underutilized, including more time and more life experience.
Any effort to improve DMIL must follow a nuanced approach that takes into account their contexts, social characteristics, prior knowledge, and levels of interest in acquiring these competencies.
Taken from "academy.dw.com". Translated and prepared by hibrid.info.