Three Ways to Understand "Digital Good": Policies, Actors and Lived Experiences

Digitalisation is widely regarded as a transformative force in contemporary and future societies, with both international and national policy discourses emphasizing its significance. Older adults are often perceived as lagging in this digital shift, facing barriers related to education, skills, and access, which contribute to a widening digital divide and subsequent social exclusion.

This paper employs a multisource inquiry to challenge this perspective by examining older adults’ own views on quality of life and satisfaction with their lifestyles, even when "offline" or "disconnected." We analyze policy discourse from international and national sources alongside findings from academic literature, juxtaposing these with insights gained from in-depth interviews with older adults. Special attention is given to the time dynamics before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our analysis critically interrogates the prevailing assumption that increased digitalisation is inherently positive and that limited use of digital technologies undermines the quality of life for older (non-)users. We contend that concepts such as the digital gap and digital divide serve primarily as policy tools that obscure the complexities of lived experiences. Their uncritical adoption in socio-gerontological research fails to enhance our understanding of digitalisation's effects on older adults. The ongoing focus on measuring digital competencies across different demographics, in light of rapid technological changes, can perpetuate oppressive narratives of individual shortcomings while masking systemic ageism. This paper advocates for a shift away from simplistic monitoring frameworks towards a nuanced examination of the diverse realities of older adults' (non-)digitalized lives.

The study was funded by the Czech Science Foundation (GAČR), project No. 22-05059L and by the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS), project No. J5-4580 „Effect of digitalisation in (post)COVID-19 era on quality of life, and social inclusion of older adults“ (DIGOLD).