Measuring Internet Access and Use Among Older Adults

Today, we published Older Adults Online: Measuring Internet Access and Use, guidance to help states develop the indicators and methodologies that will help them measure progress and identify ongoing connectivity gaps and hurdles. Our guide provides an overview of statutory requirements about indicators and measurable objectives from the Digital equity Act (DEA). We’ve analyzed states’ digital equity plans and examined how states are approaching the DEA’s five focus areas—1) broadband availability and affordability, 2) online accessibility of public resources, 3) digital literacy, 4) online privacy and cybersecurity, and 5) access to consumer devices—and where there remain opportunities to improve metrics and data collection. In developing our recommendations, we cover how older adults are impacted by the digital divide and digital ageism and identify technology trends using data from the 2023 American Community Survey. The national picture of broadband subscription and device ownership can serve as a benchmark to understand how states fare and establish ambitious but achievable targets. The trends in device and internet access highlighted in the report also offer direction on how states can approach addressing and measuring digital equity for older adults. Most notably, we demonstrate that 65 is not 75 is not 85. The needs of people in their eighties, who may have retired 20 years ago, will be different than those in their sixties who were in the workforce recently and are more likely to have used digital technology there. Stratifying older adult populations will be critical.