Navigating the digital age
The gray digital divide and digital inclusion in China
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11268504 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Haili Li (0000-0002-8487-7170, University of Exeter), Genia Kostka (0000-0002-3696-9513, Freie Universität Berlin, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 46 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Pages | 1181-1199 |
| Publication date | 2024-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Media Culture & Society (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0163-4437 • E-ISSN: 1460-3675 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/01634437241229382 |
| OpenAlex | W4392014792 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 15 |
| References cited | 21 |
Rapid digitalization and an aging population are leading to an increasingly prominent age-based digital divide among the world’s elderly population. This study focuses on China, one of the most rapidly aging and digitalizing countries in the world. Employing a mixed-method approach, this research examines how elderly individuals experience the digital transformation and the associated digital divide. The findings suggest that the elderly interviewees encounter multiple barriers to learning and using digital technologies, which highlights the significant role of social support and networks in facilitating their adaptation to the digital society and lifestyle. Attitudes toward digital engagement and digitalization vary greatly among the elderly, ranging from being optimistic to feeling left behind and having multiple concerns. Our findings further reveal that the Chinese government has implemented numerous digital apps tailored to the demands of the elderly and provided training opportunities to bridge the gray digital divide. This emphasizes the responsiveness and adaptiveness of Chinese authorities in addressing pressing societal issues. However, we identify a gap in digital outreach, as most elderly interviewees have limited awareness of government digital inclusion policies and programs. This article contributes to digital divide research and offers practical implications for countries grappling with the gray digital divide
China · Digital divide · Digital transformation · Economic growth · Economics · Government (linguistics · Information and Communications Technology · Outreach · Political science · Population · Population ageing · Public relations · Sociology · Digital Economy and Work Transformation · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · Technology Use by Older Adults
Beyond access
FinTech and older adults
The impact of the second-level digital divide on residents’ consumption
Algorithm-associated digital addiction among older adults
From access to capability
From digital access to digital capability
The impact of population aging on corporate digital transformation
Digital engagement and community dynamics
Bridging the digital divide
Becoming transparent and feeling helpless
Ageing in the City
How to bridge the older adults' digital divide in using digital travel services? A comparative analysis between ride-hailing and train E-ticket services in China
Does digital inclusion lead to different perceptions of well-being among the middle-aged and the young-old
The Expanding Digital Reach of the Chinese State
Aging in the Digital Tsunami
Older adults’ experiences and perceptions of digital technology
Creating supportive environments and enhancing personal perception to bridge the digital divide among older adults
The Covid-19 pandemic and deepening digital inequalities in China
The Effects of Covid-19 Among the Elderly Population
Age-Related Digital Divide during the Covid-19 Pandemic in China
The Digital Divide and Active Aging in China
Second-Level Digital Divide
The 'grey digital divide'
Responsive Authoritarianism in China -- a Review of Responsiveness in Xi and Hu Administrations
The digital divide has grown old
Bridging the Digital Divide for Older Adults via Intergenerational Mentor-Up
Gender, capital endowment and digital exclusion of older people in China
Bridging the Age-based Digital Divide
Digital divide research, achievements and shortcomings
Old and afraid of new communication technologies? Reconceptualising and contesting the 'age-based digital divide
| Unique citing works | 15 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 15 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 15 |