New opportunities and risks of the use of e-services by older people

Abstract

The article presents the results of a sociological survey of the target audience (486 Internet users aged 55+) conducted at computer literacy courses in Moscow in 2018. The method of survey — electronic questionnaire. The main purpose of the study was to verify the trends of internetization of older people identified by in-depth interview in the previous survey of 2017. As a result of the survey, an electronic database was formed in the program of processing and analysis of SPSS Statistics data. There was obtained a distribution of respondents ‘ answers to the questionnaire questions, including differentiation by social groups (age, employment, Internet experience, home environment) and typological groups (active and passive users, who prefer electronic and/or live communication, literate and illiterate from the point of safety, environment), calculated the average score of satisfaction with services. The survey results characterize a new way of life of respondents — techno-way, the main features of which are: the use of new forms of text, visual and audio-visual communication; purchase of goods and services, payment of bills from home; gradual disappearance of cash from use; widespread use of public services online; gradual replacement of fixed communication by mobile; a new way of obtaining cultural knowledge; the use of «smart» things. The study gave an idea of the role of psychological factors in the use of the Internet; of the peculiarities of its use by older people; the level of their satisfaction with new opportunities; revealed the risks to which users are exposed in the process of consumption of electronic services; determined the awareness of the target audience regarding Internet security and disposal of computers and gadgets.