Internet - Tens of thousands of Thuringians live offline - especially older people
Tens of thousands of people in Thuringen had never used the Internet. According to the Landesamt für Statistik's response to an inquiry, this affected around six percent of the population between 16 and 75 years old, which is approximately 87,000 people. Among those aged 65 to 75, one in seven (15%) were referred to as "offliners." Therefore, about 50,000 older adults in the Free State were still not online.
The "Digitaler Engel" project aims to help older people in Thuringen use digital offers. Social Minister Heike Werner (Linke) is expected to attend the project launch in Sommerda in the morning. In the coming months, the project will travel through Thuringen, offering training to senior citizens and senior citizens.
According to the figures, people under 65 years old had significantly more contact points with the Internet. The online share of the 16- to 45-year-olds in the previous year was 98.5%. For the 45- to 65-year-olds, it was 95.0%.
Approximately 80% of people between 16 and 75 used the Internet for sending and receiving emails. About half of them practiced online banking. Around 38% were active in social networks. The data is based on the Mikrozensus survey on the use of information and communication technologies (ICT).
Link to more information
- Despite the digital divide in Thuringia, where over 50,000 seniors aged 65 to 75 remain offline, the "Digitaler Engel" project focuses on providing digital skills training for older adults throughout the state.
- Online banking is a popular activity among half of the adults in Thuringia who use the Internet, indicating a growing trend of digital financial management, even in the rural town of Erfurt located in this German state.
- As the digital age advances, it's crucial for social initiatives like the one in Erfurt, Thuringia, to shift their focus towards online platforms to ensure that even seniors in remote areas like this Free State can benefit from the comfort and convenience of online banking and other digital services.
