Open AccessTrapped in the Digital Divide? Old People in the Information Society
Author(s) -
Birgit Jæger
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
science and technology studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.675
H-Index - 14
ISSN - 2243-4690
DOI - 10.23987/sts.55163
Subject(s) - danish , information and communications technology , information society , digital divide , presentation (obstetrics) , politics , public relations , everyday life , sociology , digital society , key (lock) , contemporary society , political science , social science , media studies , computer science , law , medicine , philosophy , linguistics , computer security , radiology
Senior citizens have not been amongst the first to start utilising Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Thus there is a danger that they will be excluded from the growing Information Society. In a Danish program, six local experiments are trying out the possibilities of utilising ICT to fulfil the needs of old people. This article will present some of the results of the program. First, I will present the Danish ICT-policy, which shapes the political background for the program. Second, I will present the program. Third, I will give a brief presentation of the methodology and the theoretical framework the study is based on. Through an analysis of two of the local experiments I will show how ICT becomes a part of old people’s everyday life. Finally, I will conclude as to whether or not old people in Denmark are becoming part of the Information Society through these local development projects. *Key words*: social experiment, information society, digital divide.