Silver surfers becoming digital activists

The survey of 1,000 Web users aged between 50 and 65, commissioned by digital communications connsultancy Panlogic, found that the older generation are driving the Internet’s ‘digital conscience’.

More than a third (35%) of respondents stated that they have signed a petition online, while 28% have made charitable donations online. 

For two thirds of respondents, their digital conscience starts at home as they believe it is more beneficial if they try to change their neighbourhood rather than tackling the world’s problems.

Paul Toeman, commercial director at Panlogic, said: “There is room for improvement, as the research identified low levels of understanding as to what degree the Internet could be used to get involved, especially on a local level.

"This obviously gives those organisations requiring members to be active – charities, arts bodies, and political parties – an enormous opportunity to reach out to this age group online.”

Compared to men, women overall felt more confident in “changing their world” (56%), with the proportion rising to 62% amongst the most affluent.

Two in five (40%) men have “lost interest in changing the world” compared to only 20% of women.

The Panlogic report said that the issues that respondents  feel enthused about have in places altered significantly since their activist youth in the 50s and early 60s.

Then, they remember being concerned about drugs, animal rights and personal development. Nowadays they want to campaign about child safety, food additives and obesity.

There has also been a dramatic shift towards newer issues that they want to do something about – recycling, the environment and a gradual fragmentation within local communities, the report stated.

“The Internet has been a recent phenomenon that those under 35 have simply grown up with, incorporating it into their daily lives,” concludes Toeman. “But this 50-65 year age group have had to learn how to use it, and will increasingly want to improve their lives by remaining involved online.”

To view a white paper on the report, click here:

http://www.panlogic.co.uk/digital-marketing/insite/insite.htm.