The age-based digital divides in China: Trends and socioeconomic differentials (2010–2020)

Wei Ren and Xiaowen Zhu

Telecommunications Policy, 2024, vol. 48, issue 3

Abstract: The age-based digital divide is emerging as a major challenge with the integrated development of population aging and digital transformation. This study examines the dynamics of multifaceted age-based digital divides (perceived Internet importance, Internet access, and learning-oriented Internet use) as well as their socioeconomic differentials (urban-rural residence, gender, and education). Using longitudinal data from China Family Panel Survey (CFPS) from 2010 to 2020, the study found that despite increases in perceived importance and physical access, learning-oriented use showed a downward trend. Moreover, the age-based divides regarding importance and access persisted over time while the divides in learning-oriented use by age fluctuated, and these dynamics varied across different social groups. The largest difference was observed between high-educated and low-educated groups: while the age-based divides in perceived importance and access have widened among the low-educated, these gaps have been bridged among the high-educated populations. For the usage gap, this contrasting developmental trend was only observed between middle-aged and young people, but not for the elderly.

Keywords: Age-based digital divide; Internet importance; Physical access; Learning-oriented use; Longitudinal analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596124000132
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:telpol:v:48:y:2024:i:3:s0308596124000132

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/30471/bibliographic
http://www.elsevier. ... /30471/bibliographic

DOI: 10.1016/j.telpol.2024.102716

Access Statistics for this article

Telecommunications Policy is currently edited by Erik Bohlin

More articles in Telecommunications Policy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().